80 FR 29345 - Preparations for the 29th Session of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS)

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 98 (May 21, 2015)

This notice is to advise interested persons that on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, OSHA will conduct a public meeting to discuss proposals in preparation for the 29th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held June 29 to July 1, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency GHS (Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and information gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S. Government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting. Also, on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will conduct a public meeting (See Docket No. PHMSA-2015-0101, Notice No. 15-6) to discuss proposals in preparation for the 47th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) to be held June 22 to June 26, 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland. During this meeting, PHMSA is also soliciting comments relative to potential new work items which may be considered for inclusion in its international agenda and feedback on issues that PHMSA may put forward for consideration by the Sub-Committee, such as enhanced recognition of alternative test methods relevant to the classification of corrosive materials (see further discussion under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below). PHMSA will also provide an update on recent actions to enhance transparency and stakeholder interaction through improvements to the international standards portion of its Web site.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29345-29346]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12268]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-H022k-2006-0062]


Preparations for the 29th Session of the UN Sub-Committee of 
Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and 
Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS)

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested persons that on Wednesday, 
June 10, 2015, OSHA will conduct a public meeting to discuss proposals 
in preparation for the 29th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee 
of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and 
Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held June 29 to July 1, 2015 in 
Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency GHS 
(Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of 
Chemicals) Coordinating Group, plans to consider the comments and 
information gathered at this public meeting when developing the U.S. 
Government positions for the UNSCEGHS meeting.
    Also, on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the Department of Transportation 
(DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) 
will conduct a public meeting (See Docket No. PHMSA-2015-0101, Notice 
No. 15-6) to discuss proposals in preparation for the 47th session of 
the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of 
Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) to be held June 22 to June 26, 2015, in 
Geneva, Switzerland. During this meeting, PHMSA is also soliciting 
comments relative to potential new work items which may be considered 
for inclusion in its international agenda and feedback on issues that 
PHMSA may put forward for consideration by the Sub-Committee, such as 
enhanced recognition of alternative test methods relevant to the 
classification of corrosive materials (see further discussion under the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below). PHMSA will also provide an 
update on recent actions to enhance transparency and stakeholder 
interaction through improvements to the international standards portion 
of its Web site.

DATES: Wednesday, June 10, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held at the DOT Headquarters 
Conference Center, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC 20590.
    Times and Locations: PHMSA public meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 
EDT, Conference Room 4. OSHA public meeting: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
EDT, Conference Room 4.
    Registration: It is requested that attendees pre-register for these 
meetings by completing the form at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3XTD2TB. Attendees may use the form to pre-register for the OSHA 
meeting, the PHMSA meeting, or both meetings. Failure to pre-register 
may delay your access to the DOT building. Participants attending in 
person are encouraged to arrive early to allow time for security checks 
necessary to obtain access to the building.
    Conference call-in and ``live meeting'' capability will be provided 
for both meetings. Specific information on call-in and live meeting 
access will be posted when available at: http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ and at: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Ruskin, Office of Chemical 
Hazards-Metals, OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Department 
of

[[Page 29346]]

Labor, Washington, DC 20210: telephone: (202) 693-1950, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    The OSHA Meeting: OSHA is hosting an open informal public meeting 
of the U.S. Interagency GHS Coordinating Group to provide interested 
groups and individuals with an update on GHS-related issues and an 
opportunity to express their views orally and in writing for 
consideration in developing U.S. Government positions for the upcoming 
UNSCEGHS meeting. Interested stakeholders may also provide input on 
issues related to OSHA's activities in the U.S.-Canada Regulatory 
Cooperation Council (RCC) at the meeting.
    General topics on the agenda include:

 Review of Working papers
 Correspondence Group updates
 Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) Update

Information on the work of the UNSCEGHS including meeting agendas, 
reports, and documents from previous sessions, can be found on the 
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Transport 
Division Web site located at the following web address; http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4age.html. The UNSCEGHS bases 
its decisions on Working Papers. The Working Papers for the 29th 
session of the UNSCEGHS are located at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c42015.html.
    Informal Papers submitted to the UNSCEGHS provide information for 
the Sub-committee and are used either as a mechanism to provide 
information to the Sub-committee or as the basis for future Working 
Papers. Informal Papers for the 29th session of the UNSCEGHS are not 
yet posted on the UN Web site but when they become available will be 
located at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4inf29.html.
    The PHMSA Meeting: The Federal Register notice and additional 
detailed information relating to PHMSA's public meeting will be 
available upon publication at http://www.regulations.gov (Docket No. 
PHMSA-2015-0101) and on the PHMSA Web site at: http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international.
    The primary purpose of PHMSA's meeting will be to prepare for the 
47th session of the UNSCE TDG. The 47th session of the UNSCE TDG is the 
first of four meetings scheduled for the 2015-2016 biennium. The UNSCE 
will consider proposals for the 20th Revised Edition of the United 
Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods Model 
Regulations, which may be implemented into relevant domestic, regional, 
and international regulations from January 1, 2019. Copies of working 
documents, informal documents, and the meeting agenda may be obtained 
from the United Nations Transport Division's Web site at http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.html.
    General topics on the agenda for the UNSCE TDG meeting include:

 Explosives and related matters
 Listing, classification and packing
 Electric storage systems
 Transport of gases
 Miscellaneous pending issues
 Global harmonization of transport of dangerous goods 
regulations with the
    Model Regulations
 Guiding principles for the Model Regulations
 Electronic data interchange for documentation purposes
 Cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
 New proposals for amendments to the Model Regulations
 Issues relating to the Globally Harmonized System of 
Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)

PHMSA specifically solicits comments relative to efforts by the UN TDG 
and GHS Sub-Committees relevant to enhancing recognition of additional 
Class 8 (corrosive) classification test methods that are currently 
included within the GHS but not specifically referenced within the UN 
Model Regulations for Transport. PHMSA in considering submission of a 
proposal to include within the UN Model Regulations additional GHS-
based methods, such as the additivity method which was discussed by the 
GHS/TDG Informal Working Group that met during the last biennium. PHMSA 
sees value in the inclusion of alternative methods which provide an 
equivalent level of safety provided they are included as an option to 
provide greater flexibility for example with respect to the 
classification of mixtures to reduce the need for in-vitro and/or in-
vivo testing where practicable.
    Following the 47th session of the UNSCE TDG, a copy of the Sub-
Committee's report will be available at the United Nations Transport 
Division's Web site at http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc3/c3rep.html. PHMSA's Web site at http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international provides additional information regarding the UNSCE TDG 
and related matters.
    Authority and Signature: This document was prepared under the 
direction of David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor 
for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, pursuant 
to sections 4, 6, and 8 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 
1970 (29 U.S.C. 653, 655, 657), and Secretary's Order 1-2012 (77 FR 
3912), (Jan. 25, 2012).

    Signed at Washington, DC, on May 15, 2015.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-12268 Filed 5-20-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P