DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. NRTL-1-88]

MET Laboratories, Inc., Application Expansion of Recognition

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

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the application of MET Laboratories, 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 the 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, D.C. 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 MET Laboratories, Inc. (MET), has applied for expansion of its current recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL). MET'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.

MET's previous application as an NRTL covered the renewal and an expansion of its recognition (61 FR 41661, August 6, 1996), which OSHA granted on November 20, 1996 (61 FR 59114).

The current address of the MET testing facility already recognized by OSHA is: MET Laboratories, Inc., 914 West Patapsco Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.

General Background on the Application

MET has submitted a request, dated June 3, 1998 (see Exhibit 20A), to expand its recognition as an NRTL for additional test standards. MET provided some additional information related to its request on August 21, 1998 (see Exhibit 20B). MET will notify OSHA, as stated in this letter, regarding a change in its existing capability to perform explosion tests. Relatedly, OSHA intends to impose limitations on the testing permitted under certain test standards.

MET seeks recognition for testing and certification of products to demonstrate compliance with the following 17 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 5 Surface Metal Raceways and Fittings

ANSI/UL 50 Enclosures for Electrical EquipmentANSI/UL 65 Electric Wired Cabinets

ANSI/UL 201 Garage EquipmentANSI/UL 482 Portable Sun/Heat Lamps

ANSI/UL 514A Metallic Outlet Boxes, Electrical

UL 664 Commercial Dry-Cleaning Machines (Type IV)

ANSI/UL 698 Industrial Control Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations ⁽¹⁾

UL 775 Graphic Arts Equipment

ANSI/UL 886 Outlet Boxes and Fittings for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations ⁽¹⁾

ANSI/UL 1017 Vacuum Cleaning Machines and Blower Cleaners

ANSI/UL 1018 Electric Aquarium EquipmentANSI/UL 1054 Special-Use Switches

ANSI/UL 1203 Explosion-Proof and Dust-Ignition-Proof Electrical

Equipment for Use in Hazardous (Classified) Locations ⁽¹⁾

ANSI/UL 1310 Direct Plug-In Transformer Units

ANSI/UL 1573 Stage and Studio Lighting Units

ANSI/UL 6500 Audio/Visual and Musical Instrument Apparatus for Household, Commercial, and Similar General Use

Preliminary Finding on the Application

MET 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 MET'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 21), recommended that MET's recognition be expanded to include the 17 additional test 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 MET Laboratories, Inc. facility listed above, the expansion of recognition to use the additional 17 test standards. The staff therefore recommended to the Assistant Secretary that the application be preliminarily approved.

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

OSHA welcomes public comments, in sufficient detail, as to whether MET 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 MET'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-1-88, the permanent record of public information on MET'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 MET'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 28th day of October, 1998.

Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98-30113 Filed 11-9-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-26-U

Footnote (1) Testing and certification of products under this test standard is limited to Class I locations. Explosion testing is also limited to current test chamber capabilities. (Back to Text)