[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17571-17573]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-08255]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-2013-0012]
Modification to the List of Appropriate NRTL Program Test
Standards and the Scopes of Recognition of Several NRTLs
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION: Notice of final decisions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces its final decision to: (1)
Delete a test standard from the NRTL Program's list of appropriate test
standards; and (2) update the scopes of recognition of several NRTLs.
DATES: OSHA's final decisions are effective on April 20, 2018.
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; telephone: (202) 693-1999;
email: meilinger.francis2@dol.gov.
General and technical information: Contact Mr. Kevin Robinson,
Director, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities,
Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration; telephone: (202) 693-2110; email:
robinson.kevin@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
The NRTL Program recognizes organizations that provide product
safety testing and certification services to manufacturers. These
organizations perform testing and certification, for purposes of the
Program, to U.S. consensus-based product safety test standards. The
products covered by the Program consist of those items for which OSHA
safety standards require ``certification'' by a NRTL. The requirements
affect electrical products and 38 other types of products. OSHA does
not develop or issue these test standards, but generally relies on
standards development organizations (SDOs) which develop and maintain
the standards using a method that provides input and consideration of
views of industry groups, experts, users, consumers, governmental
authorities, and others having broad experience in the safety field
involved.
Removal of Test Standards From the NRTL List of Appropriate Test
Standards
OSHA may propose to remove a test standard from the NRTL list of
appropriate test standards based on an internal review in which Program
staff review the NRTL list of appropriate test standards to determine
if the test
standard conforms to the definition of appropriate test standard
defined in the Programs regulations and policy. There are several
reasons for removing a test standard based on this review. First, a
document that provides the methodology for a single test is a test
method rather than an appropriate test standard. A test standard must
specify the safety requirements for a specific type of product(s) (29
CFR 1910.7(c)). A test method, however, is a ``specified technical
procedure for performing a test'' (CPL 1-0.3, App. B). As such, a test
method is not an appropriate test standard. While a NRTL may use a test
method to determine if certain safety requirements are met, a test
method is not itself a safety requirement for a specific product
category.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ OSHA notes that some types of devices covered by these
documents, such as capacitors and transformers, may be end-use
products themselves, and tested under other test standards
applicable to such products. For example, the following test
standard covers transformers that are end-use products: UL 1562
Standard for Transformers, Distribution, Dry-Type--Over 600 Volts.
OSHA is not proposing to delete such test standards from NRTLs'
scopes of recognition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Second, a document that focuses primarily on usage, installation,
or maintenance requirements would also not be considered an appropriate
test standard (CPL 1-0.3, App. D.IV.B). In some cases, however, a
document may also provide safety test specifications in addition to
usage, installation, and maintenance requirements. In such cases, the
document would be retained as an appropriate test standard based on the
safety test specifications.
Finally, a document may not be considered an appropriate test
standard if the document covers products for which OSHA does not
require testing and certification (CPL 1-0.3, App. D.IV.A).
Similarly, a document that covers electrical product components
would not be considered an appropriate test standard. These documents
apply to types of components that have limitation(s) or condition(s) on
their use, in that they are not appropriate for use as end-use
products. These documents also specify that these types of components
are for use only as part of an end-use product. NRTLs, however,
evaluate such components only in the context of evaluating whether end-
use products requiring NRTL approval are safe for use in the workplace.
Testing such components alone would not indicate that the end-use
products containing the components are safe for use. Accordingly, as a
matter of policy, OSHA considers that documents covering such
components are not appropriate test standards under the NRTL Program.
OSHA notes, however, that it is not proposing to delete from NRTLs'
scopes of recognition any test standards covering end-use products that
contain such components.\1\
II. Final Decision To Delete Test Standards From the NRTL Program's
List of Appropriate Test Standards
In this notice, OSHA announces its final decision to delete one
test standard from the NRTL Program's list of appropriate test
standards.
Table 1 lists the test standard that OSHA will delete from the NRTL
Program's list of appropriate test standards, as well as an abbreviated
rationale for OSHA's actions. For a full discussion of the rationale,
see Section I of this notice.
Table 1--Test Standard OSHA Is Deleting From NRTL Program's List of
Appropriate Test Standards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement test
Deleted test standard Reason for deletion standard(s) (if
applicable)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 96--Lightning Protection Standard does not N/A.
Components. include products
required to be
certified by NRTLs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
III. Final Decision To Modify Affected NRTLs' Scopes of Recognition
In this notice, OSHA announces its final decision to update the
scopes of recognition of several NRTLs. The tables in this section
(Table 2 thru Table 4) list, for each affected NRTL, the test standard
that OSHA is deleting from the scope of recognition of the NRTL.
Table 2--Test Standard OSHA Is Deleting From the Scope of Recognition of
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement test
Deleted test standard Reason for deletion standard(s) (if
applicable)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 96--Lightning Protection Standard does not NONE.
Components. include products
required to be
certified by NRTLs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 3--Test Standard OSHA Is Deleting From the Scope of Recognition of
CSA Group Testing and Certification Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement test
Deleted test standard Reason for deletion standard(s) (if
applicable)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 96--Lightning Protection Standard does not NONE.
Components. include products
required to be
certified by NRTLs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table 4--Test Standard OSHA Is Deleting From the Scope of Recognition of
Intertek Testing Services NA, Inc.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Replacement test
Deleted test standard Reason for deletion standard(s) (if
applicable)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 96--Lightning Protection Standard does not NONE.
Components. include products
required to be
certified by NRTLs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OSHA will incorporate into its informational web pages the
modifications OSHA is making to each NRTL's scope of recognition. These
web pages detail the scope of recognition for each NRTL, including the
test standards the NRTL may use to test and certify products under
OSHA's NRTL Program. OSHA also will add, to its ``Current List of
Removed Test Standards'' web page, this test standard that OSHA no
longer recognizes or permits under the NRTL Program. Access to these
web pages is available at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
Pursuant to the authority in 29 CFR 1910.7, OSHA hereby modifies
the NRTL List of Appropriate Test Standards and associated modification
to the scope of recognition for the impacted NRTLs specified above.
V. Authority and Signature
Loren Sweatt, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational
Safety and Health, 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 April 16, 2018.
Loren Sweatt,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2018-08255 Filed 4-19-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
