SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Notice of the Applications for Expansion

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is providing notice that TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc. (TUVRNA), is applying for expansion of its current recognition as an NRTL. TUVRNA requests the addition of four (4) recognized testing and certification sites, and two (2) additional test standards to its NRTL scope of recognition.

OSHA recognition of an 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 its 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 its preliminary finding. In the second notice, the agency provides the 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 TUVRNA, 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.

TUVRNA currently has five facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for product testing and certification, with its headquarters located at: TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., 12 Commerce Road, Newtown, Connecticut 06470. A complete list of TUVRNA sites recognized by OSHA is available at https://www.osha.gov/​dts/​otpca/​nrtl/​tuv.html.

II. General Background on the Applications

TUVRNA submitted two applications, one dated March 30, 2016 (OSHA-2007-0042-0030) and another dated April 19, 2017 (OSHA-2007-0042-0031), to expand its recognition to include the addition of four recognized testing and certification sites located at: TUV Rheinland (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. 1f East & 2-4F, Cybio Technology Building No. 1, No. 16, Keibei 2nd Road, High-Tech Industrial Park North, Nashan District, 518057 Shenzhen China; TUV Rheinland (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, TUV Rheinland Building No. 177, Lane 777, West Guangzhong Road, Zhabei District, Shanghai 200072, P.R. China; TUV Rheinland Taiwan Ltd., 11F., No 758, Sec. 4, Bade Rd., Songshan Dist., Taipei City 105, Taiwan; and TUV Rheinland Taiwan Ltd., Taichung Branch Office, No. 9, Lane 36, Minsheng Rod., Sec. 3, Daya District, Taichung City 428, Taiwan. TUVRNA's applications also requested the addition of two additional test standards to its scope of recognition. In 2017 OSHA staff performed an on-site review of TUVRNA's testing facilities on August 7-8 at TUV Rheinland Shanghai, August 10-11at TUV Rheinland Shenzhen, August 14-15 at TUV Rheinland Taipei, and August 16, 2017 at TUV Rheinland Taichung, in which the assessors found some nonconformances with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7. TUVRNA addressed these issues sufficiently, and OSHA staff preliminarily determined that OSHA should grant the applications for expansion.

Table 1 below lists the appropriate test standards found in TUVRNA's applications for expansion for testing and certification of products under the NRTL Program.

III. Preliminary Finding on the Applications

TUVRNA submitted acceptable applications for expansion of its scope of recognition. OSHA's review of the application files and detailed on-site assessments indicate that TUVRNA can meet the requirements prescribed by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding recognition to include the addition of four sites and these two test standards for NRTL testing and certification. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of TUVRNA's applications.

OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether TUVRNA meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its 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 by the due date for comments. OSHA will limit any extension to 10 ( printed page 36627) days unless the requester justifies a longer time period. OSHA may deny a request for an extension if it 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, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, listed in ADDRESSES . These materials also are available online at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2007-0042.

OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a timely manner. After addressing the issues raised by these comments, staff will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health on whether to grant TUVRNA's applications for expansion of its scope of recognition. The Assistant Secretary will make the final decision on granting the applications. 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 this final decision in the Federal Register .

Authority and Signature

Loren Sweatt, Deputy 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. 1-2012 (77 FR 3912, Jan. 25, 2012), and 29 CFR 1910.7.

83 FR 36625