DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. NRTL-2-93]

Entela, Inc.; Application for Expansion of Recognition

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

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the application of Entela, Inc., for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7, and presents the Agency's preliminary finding. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of this application.

DATES: Comments submitted by interested parties must be received no later than January 11, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Send comments concerning this notice to: Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N3653, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Bernard Pasquet, Office of Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, NRTL Program at the above address, or phone (202) 219-7056.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Application

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hereby gives notice that Entela, Inc. (ENT) has applied for expansion of its current recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). ENT's expansion request covers the use of additional test standards. OSHA recognizes an organization as an NRTL, and processes applications related to such recognitions, following requirements in Sec. 1910.7 of Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1910.7). Appendix A to this section requires that OSHA publish this public notice of the preliminary finding on an application.

ENT's previous application as an NRTL also covered an expansion for use of additional test standards (63 FR 19275, April 17, 1998), which OSHA granted on July 10, 1998 (63 FR 37416).

The current addresses of the ENT testing facilities already recognized by OSHA are:

Entela, Inc., 3033 Madison, S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49548

Entela Taiwan Laboratories, 3F No. 260 262 Wen, Lin North Road, Pei Tou, Taipei, Taiwan.

General Background on the Application

ENT has submitted a request, dated August 10, 1998 (see Exhibit 15), to expand its recognition as an NRTL for additional test standards. OSHA's recognition of ENT's site in Taipei, Taiwan, currently includes certain limitations that are applicable to the testing and evaluation of products under the test standards listed below. These limitations are repeated in this notice.

ENT's request for expansion also includes its timely request for renewal of its recognition. However, ENT's recognition as an NRTL does not expire until July 26, 1999. Prior to this date, staff for the NRTL Program plans to perform an on-site review of one or both of the ENT testing sites. These reviews are part of the normal process for granting an NRTL a renewal of its recognition, and in this case, ENT's recognition.

ENT seeks recognition for testing and certification of products to demonstrate compliance to the following 18 test standards, and OSHA has determined the standards are appropriate, as prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7(c). OSHA recognition of any NRTL for a particular test standard is limited to products for which OSHA standards require third party testing and certification before use in the workplace.

ANSI/UL 187 X-Ray EquipmentANSI/UL 563 Ice Makers

ANSI/UL 867 Electrostatic Air CleanersANSI/UL 916 Energy Management Equipment

ANSI/UL 924 Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment

UL 962 Household and Commercial Furnishings

ANSI/UL 1069 Hospital Signaling and Nurse-Call System

ANSI/UL 1088 Temporary Lighting StringsANSI/UL 1236 Battery Chargers

ANSI/UL 1418 Implosion-Protected Cathode-Ray Tubes for Television-Type Appliances

ANSI/UL 1472 Solid-State Dimming Controls

ANSI/UL 1492 Audio and Video Equipment

ANSI/UL 1564 Industrial Battery Chargers

ANSI/UL 1573 Stage and Studio Lighting Units

ANSI/UL 1638 Visual Signaling Appliances

UL 1993 Self-Ballasted Lamps and Lamp Adapters

ANSI/UL 2044 Commercial Closed Circuit Television Equipment

UL 3044 Surveillance Closed Circuit Television Equipment

The designations and titles of the above test standards were current at the time of the preparation of this notice.

Limitations on the Recognition

The following limitations apply to the recognition of the Taiwan facility:

a. The Taiwan facility shall be limited to carrying out minor mechanical and electrical testing of instruments and small appliances.

b. Performance of inspections shall be limited to Entela personnel.

Preliminary Finding on the Application

ENT has submitted an acceptable request for expansion of its recognition as an NRTL. In connection with this request, OSHA did not perform an on-site review of ENT's NRTL testing facilities. However, NRTL Program audit staff reviewed information pertinent to the request, and in a memo dated September 9, 1998 (see Exhibit 16), recommended that ENT's recognition be expanded to include the additional 18 standards listed above.

Following a review of the application file, the auditor's recommendation, and other pertinent documents, the NRTL Program staff has concluded that OSHA can grant, to the Entela, Inc. facilities listed above, the expansion of recognition to use the additional 18 test standards, with the limitations to be applied as noted. The staff therefore recommended to the Assistant Secretary that the application be preliminarily approved.

Based upon the recommendation of the staff, the Assistant Secretary has made a preliminary finding that the Entela, Inc. facilities listed above can meet the recognition requirements, as prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7, for the expansion of recognition, subject to the above limitations. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of the application.

OSHA welcomes public comments, in sufficient detail, as to whether ENT has met the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. Your comment must consist of pertinent written documents and exhibits. To consider it, OSHA must receive the comment at the address provided above (see ADDRESSES), no later than the last date for comments (see DATES above). You may obtain or review copies of ENT's request, the recommendation on the expansion, and all submitted comments, as received, by contacting the Docket Office, Room N2625, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, at the above address. You should refer to Docket No. NRTL-2-93, the permanent record of public information on ENT's recognition.

The NRTL Program staff will review all timely comments, and after resolution of issues raised by these comments, will recommend whether to grant ENT's expansion request. The Assistant Secretary will make the final decision on granting the expansion, and in making this decision, may undertake other proceedings that are prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA will publish a public notice of this final decision in the Federal Register.

Signed at Washington, DC this day of 28th day of October, 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-30112 Filed 11-9-98; 8:45 am]

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