• Publication Date:
  • Publication Type:
    Notice
  • Fed Register #:
    86:21355-21356
  • Standard Number:
  • Title:
    MET Laboratories, Inc.: Application for Expansion of Recognition
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 76 (Thursday, April 22, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21355-21356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08337]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2006-0028]


MET Laboratories, Inc.: Application for Expansion of Recognition

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces the application of MET 
Laboratories, Inc., for expansion of the recognition as a Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the agency's 
preliminary finding to grant the application.

DATES: Submit comments, information, and documents in response to this 
notice, or requests for an extension of time to make a submission, on 
or before May 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Electronically: Submit comments and attachments electronically at 
http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. 
Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and the 
OSHA docket number (OSHA-2006-0028). OSHA places comments and other 
materials, including any personal information, in the public docket 
without revision, and these materials will be available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, the agency cautions commenters 
about submitting statements they do not want made available to the 
public, or submitting comments that contain personal information 
(either about themselves or others) such as Social Security numbers, 
birth dates, and medical data.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or contact the OSHA Docket 
Office. All documents in the docket (including this Federal Register 
notice) are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index; however, 
some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly available 
to read or download through the website. All submissions, including 
copyrighted material, are available for inspection through the OSHA 
Docket Office.
    Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of 
the comment period on or before May 7, 2021 to the 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-3653, Washington, DC 20210.

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, phone: (202) 693-1999 or 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, phone: (202) 693-2110 or email: 
robinson.kevin@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of the Application for Expansion

    OSHA is providing notice that MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), is 
applying for expansion of the current recognition as a NRTL. MET 
requests the addition of one test standard to the NRTL scope of 
recognition.


    OSHA recognition of a NRTL signifies that the organization meets 
the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.7. Recognition is an 
acknowledgment that the organization can perform independent safety 
testing and certification of the specific products covered within the 
scope of recognition. Each NRTL's scope of recognition includes: (1) 
The type of products the NRTL may test, with each type specified by the 
applicable test standard; and (2) the recognized site(s) that has/have 
the technical capability to perform the product-testing and product-
certification activities for test standards within the NRTL's scope. 
Recognition is not a delegation or grant of government authority; 
however, recognition enables employers to use products approved by the 
NRTL to meet OSHA standards that require product testing and 
certification.
    The agency processes applications by a NRTL for initial recognition 
and for an expansion or renewal of this recognition, following 
requirements in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. This appendix requires 
that the agency publish two notices in the Federal Register in 
processing an application. In the first notice, OSHA announces the 
application and provides a preliminary finding. In the second notice, 
the agency provides a final decision on the application. These notices 
set forth the NRTL's scope of recognition or modifications of that 
scope. OSHA maintains an informational web page for each NRTL, 
including MET, which details the NRTL's scope of recognition. These 
pages are available from the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
    MET currently has one facility (site) recognized by OSHA for 
product testing and certification, with the headquarters located at: 
MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 
21230. A complete list of MET's scope of recognition is available at 
https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/met.html.

II. General Background on the Application

    MET submitted one application, dated May 11, 2018 (OSHA-2006-0028-
0046), to expand the recognition to include one additional test 
standard. OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application 
packet and reviewed other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform 
any on-site reviews in relation to this application.
    Table 1, below, lists the appropriate test standard found in MET's 
application for expansion for testing and certification of products 
under the NRTL Program.

 Table 1--Proposed Appropriate Test Standard for Inclusion in MET's NRTL
                          Scope of Recognition
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             Test standard                     Test standard title
------------------------------------------------------------------------
UL 61010-2-010.........................  Safety Requirements for
                                          Electrical Equipment for
                                          Measurement, Control and
                                          Laboratory Use Part 2-010:
                                          Particular requirements for
                                          Laboratory Equipment for the
                                          Heating of Materials.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Preliminary Findings on the Application

    MET submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope 
of recognition. OSHA's review of the application file, and pertinent 
documentation, indicate that MET has met the requirements prescribed by 
29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding the recognition to include the addition of 
the one test standard for NRTL testing and certification listed in 
Table 1. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or 
temporary approval of MET's applications.
    OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether MET meets the 
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of the recognition as a 
NRTL. Comments should consist of pertinent written documents and 
exhibits. Commenters needing more time to comment must submit a request 
in writing, stating the reasons for the request. Commenters must submit 
the written request for an extension by the due date for comments. OSHA 
will limit any extension to 10 days unless the requester justifies a 
longer period. OSHA may deny a request for an extension if the request 
is not adequately justified. To obtain or review copies of the exhibits 
identified in this notice, as well as comments submitted to the docket, 
contact the Docket Office. These materials also are available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2006-0028.
    OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a 
timely manner and, after addressing the issues raised by these 
comments, will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for 
Occupational Safety and Health whether to grant MET's applications for 
expansion of the scope of recognition. The Assistant Secretary will 
make the final decision on granting the application. In making this 
decision, the Assistant Secretary may undertake other proceedings 
prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA will publish a public 
notice of the final decision in the Federal Register.

IV. Authority and Signature

    James S. Frederick, Acting 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. 8-2020 (85 FR 58393, 
Sept. 18, 2020), and 29 CFR 1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on April 14, 2021.
James S. Frederick,
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2021-08337 Filed 4-21-21; 8:45 am]
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