[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 146 (Wednesday, July 30, 2014)][Notices][Pages 44202-44203]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17965]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0041]
Southwest Research Institute: Grant of Renewal of Recognition
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration's final decision granting renewal of recognition of
Southwest Research Institute, as a Nationally Recognized Testing
Laboratory (NRTL).
DATES: The renewal of recognition becomes effective on July 30, 2014.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Information regarding this notice is
available from the following sources:
Press inquiries: Contact Mr. Frank Meilinger, Director, OSHA Office
of Communications, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue
NW., Room N-3647, Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-1999;
email: Meilinger.francis2@dol.gov.
General and technical information: Contact Mr. David Johnson,
Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities,
Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200
Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-3655, Washington, DC 20210; telephone:
(202) 693-2110; email: johnson.david.w@dol.gov. OSHA's Web page
includes information about the NRTL Program (see
http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
OSHA recognition of an NRTL signifies that the organization meets
the requirements specified by 29 CFR 1910.7. Recognition is an
acknowledgment that the organization can perform independent safety
testing and certification of the specific products covered within its
scope of recognition, and is not a delegation or grant of government
authority. As a result of recognition, employers may use products
properly approved by the NRTL to meet OSHA standards that require
testing and certification. OSHA maintains an informational Web site for
each NRTL at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html that details
its scope of recognition.
OSHA processes applications submitted by an NRTL for renewal of
recognition following requirements in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA
conducts renewals in accordance with the procedures in 29 CFR 1910.7,
App. A II.C. In accordance with these procedures, NRTLs submit a
renewal request to OSHA between nine months and one year before the
expiration date of its current recognition. A renewal request includes
a request for renewal and any additional information demonstrating its
continued compliance with the terms of its recognition and 29 CFR
1910.7. If OSHA has not conducted an on-site assessment of the NRTL
headquarters and any key sites within the past 18 to 24 months, it will
schedule the necessary on-site assessment prior to the expiration date
of the NRTL's recognition. Upon review of the submitted material and,
as necessary, the successful completion of the on-site assessment, OSHA
announces its preliminary decision to grant or deny renewal in the
Federal Register and solicits comments from the public. OSHA then
publishes a final Federal Register notice responding to any comments
and renewing the NRTL's recognition for a period of five years, or
denying the renewal of recognition.
Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) initially received OSHA
recognition as an NRTL on July 13, 1993 (58 FR 37752). The most recent
renewal for SWRI was on February 28, 2007, for a five-year period
expiring on February 28, 2012. SWRI submitted a timely request for
renewal, dated May 26, 2011 (see Ex. OSHA-2006-0041-0003), and retained
its recognition pending OSHA's final decision in this renewal process.
The current address of the SWRI facility recognized by OSHA and
included as part of the renewal request is Southwest Research
Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, Post Office Drawer 28510, San Antonio,
Texas 78238.
OSHA evaluated SWRI's application for renewal and made a
preliminary determination that SWRI can continue to meet the
requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for recognition. OSHA
conducted an audit of SWRI on February 28-29, 2012, and found non-
conformances with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7. SWRI addressed
these issues sufficiently to meet the applicable NRTL requirements.
Accordingly, OSHA determined that it did not need to conduct an on-site
review of SWRI's facilities for this renewal based on its evaluation of
SWRI's application and all other available information.
OSHA published the preliminary notice announcing SWRI's renewal
request in the Federal Register on February 25, 2014 (79 FR 10565). The
Agency requested comments by March 12, 2014, but received no comments
in response to this notice. OSHA now is proceeding with this final
notice to grant SWRI's request for renewal of recognition.
To obtain or review copies of all public documents pertaining to
SWRI's application, go to www.regulations.gov or contact the Docket
Office, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-2625, Washington, DC
20210. Docket No. OSHA-2006-0041 contains all materials in the record
concerning SWRI's recognition.
II. Final Decision and Order
Pursuant to the authority granted under 29 CFR 1910.7, OSHA hereby
gives notice of the renewal of recognition of SWRI as an NRTL. OSHA
NRTL Program staff reviewed the renewal request for SWRI and other
pertinent information. Based on this review of the renewal request for
SWRI and other pertinent information, OSHA finds that SWRI meets the
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for renewal of its recognition, subject
to the specified limitation and conditions. OSHA limits the renewal of
SWRI's recognition to include the terms and conditions of SWRI's scope
of recognition. The scope of recognition for SWRI is available in the
Federal Register notice dated July 13, 1993 (58 FR 37752), or on OSHA's
Web site at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/swri.html. This renewal
extends SWRI's recognition for a period of five years from July 30,
2014.
Conditions
In addition to those conditions already required by 29 CFR 1910.7,
SWRI also must abide by the following conditions of recognition:
1. SWRI must inform OSHA as soon as possible, in writing, of any
change of ownership, facilities, or key personnel, and of any major
change in its operations as an NRTL, and provide details of the
change(s);
2. SWRI must meet all the terms of its recognition and comply with
all OSHA policies pertaining to this recognition; and
3. SWRI must continue to meet the requirements for recognition,
including all previously published conditions on SWRI's scope of
recognition, in all areas for which it has recognition.
III. Authority and Signature
David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health, 200 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20210, authorized the preparation of this notice.
Accordingly, the Agency is issuing this notice pursuant to 29 U.S.C.
657(g)(2), Secretary of Labor's Order No. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912, Jan. 25,
2012), and 29 CFR 1910.7.
Signed at Washington, DC, on July 25, 2014.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2014-17965 Filed 7-29-14; 8:45 am]
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