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AGENCY:
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
In this notice, OSHA announces the application of QPS Evaluation Services, 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 November 22, 2024.
ADDRESSES:
Comments may be submitted as follows:
Electronically: You may submit comments, including attachments, electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency's name and the docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2010-0046). All comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in the public docket without change and may be made available online at https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about submitting information they do not want made available to the public, or submitting materials that contain personal information (either about themselves or others), such as Social Security numbers and birthdates.
Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov. 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. Contact the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350 (TTY (877) 889-5627) for assistance in locating docket submissions.
Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of the comment period on or before November 22, 2024 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, or by fax to (202) 693-1644.
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) 693-1911 or email: robinson.kevin@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Notice of the Application for Expansion
OSHA is providing notice that QPS Evaluation Services, Inc. (QPS), is applying for expansion of the current recognition as a NRTL. QPS requests the addition of five test standards to the NRTL scope of recognition.
OSHA's 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 QPS 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.
II. General Background on the Application
QPS submitted an application to OSHA for expansion of the NRTL scope of recognition on February 13, 2024 (OSHA-2010-0046-0021), requesting the addition of five standards to the NRTL scope of recognition. OSHA staff performed a detailed analysis of the application packet and reviewed other pertinent information. OSHA did not perform an on-site review related to this application.
Table 1, below, lists the appropriate test standards found in QPS's application for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL Program.
Table 1—Proposed Appropriate Test Standards for Inclusion in QPS's NRTL Scope of Recognition
| Test standard | Test standard title |
|---|---|
| UL 22 | Amusement and Gaming Machines |
| UL 751 | Vending Machines |
| UL 1012 | Power Units Other Than Class 2 |
| UL 891 | Standard for Switchboards |
| ASME 17.5 | Elevator and Escalator Electrical Equipment |