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[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 153 (Friday, August 8, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42827-42828]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-21013]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. NRTL-1-97]

Applied Research Laboratories, Inc.

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

ACTIONS: Notice of Application for Recognition as a Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratory, and Preliminary Finding.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the application of Applied Research 
Laboratories, Inc. for recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing 
Laboratory (NRTL) under 29 CFR 1910.7, and presents the Agency's 
preliminary finding.

DATES: The last date for interested parties to submit comments is 
October 7, 1997.

ADDRESS: Send comments to: NRTL Recognition Program, Occupational 
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor--Room N3653, 
200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Variance Determination, NRTL 
Recognition Program, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 
U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room N3653, 
Washington, D.C. 20210.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notice of Application

    Notice is hereby given that Applied Research Laboratories, Inc. 
(ARL) has made application pursuant to 29 CFR 1910.7, for recognition 
as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
    The address of the laboratory covered by this application is: 
Applied Research Laboratories, Inc., 5371 NW 161st Street, Miami, 
Florida 33014.

Background

    Applied Research Laboratories, Inc., according to the applicant, 
was founded in 1949, and is a Florida registered engineering 
corporation, with the owner as sole stockholder. The applicant states 
further that it is independent of any government or manufacturing

[[Page 42828]]

organization and is capable of providing impartial analysis of products 
and materials.
    Regarding the merits of the application, the applicant contends 
that it meets the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for recognition to 
certify products in the areas of testing which it has specified. See 
Exhibit 2A(1).
    Applied Research Laboratories, Inc. states that its application 
documents demonstrate that for each specified item of equipment or 
material to be certified, it has the capability (including proper 
testing equipment and facilities, trained staff, written testing 
procedures, and calibration and quality control programs) to perform 
testing and examination of equipment and materials for workplace safety 
purposes to determine conformance with appropriate product test 
standards.
    The applicant states also that it shall provide, to the extent 
needed for the particular equipment or materials listed, labeled, or 
accepted, the following controls or services:

(i) Implementation of control procedures for identifying the listed and 
labeled equipment or materials,
(ii) Inspection of the run of such item at factories for product 
evaluation purposes to assure conformance with the test standards, and
(iii) Conduction of field inspections to monitor and to insure the 
proper use of its identifying mark or labels on products.

    ARL claims that it is completely independent of employers subject 
to the tested equipment requirements, and of any manufacturers or 
vendors of equipment or materials being tested for these purposes.
    The applicant also claims that it maintains effective procedures 
for producing creditable findings or reports that are objective and 
without bias, and for handling complaints and disputes under a fair and 
reasonable system.
    ARL states that it has the capability to perform field evaluations 
and code compliance inspections of unique and non-listed equipment or 
materials at the customers' facilities. These services are supported by 
written procedures, quality control, and trained personnel.
    In summary, Applied Research Laboratories, Inc. claims that it 
maintains the experience, expertise, personnel, organization, 
equipment, and facilities suitable for accreditation as an OSHA 
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.

Facility

    ARL's Miami facility consists of 39,600 square feet of space, 
consisting of segregated administrative and engineering areas. The 
engineering area is designed to provide each department with its own 
dedicated laboratory space. All laboratories are temperature 
controlled, and supplied with necessary utilities.

Standards

    Applied Research Laboratories, Inc., desires recognition for 
testing and certification of products when tested for compliance with 
the following test standards, which are appropriate within the meaning 
of 29 CFR 1910.7(c):

ANSI/UL 22--Amusement and Gaming Machines
ANSI/UL--858 Household Electric Ranges
ASTM E152--Standard Methods of Fire Tests of Door Assemblies
UL 1838--Low Voltage Landscape Lighting Systems
UL 1995--Heating and Cooling Equipment

Programs and Procedures

    Applied Research Laboratories, Inc., desires recognition for the 
acceptance of witnessed testing data, based upon the conditions as 
detailed in the Federal Register document titled ``Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratories; Clarification of the Types of Programs 
and Procedures'', 60 FR 12980, 3/9/95.

Preliminary Finding

    Applied Research Laboratories, Inc. addressed all of the criteria 
which had to be met for recognition as an NRTL. For example, the 
applicant submitted a list of its test equipment and instrumentation; a 
roster of its personnel including resumes of those in key positions and 
copies of position descriptions; a description of services provided; 
copies of its Listing, Labeling, and Follow-Up Service Agreement; a 
statement of its independence as a testing laboratory; appeals 
procedure; calibration laboratories; and a copy of its Quality Control 
Manual.
    Nine major areas were examined in depth during the on-site 
laboratory evaluation: facility; test equipment; calibration program; 
test and evaluation procedures; test reports; records; quality 
assurance program; follow-up listing program; and personnel.
    Any discrepancies noted by the survey team during the on-site 
evaluation were adequately responded to following the on-site 
evaluation and are included as an integral part of the On-Site Review 
Report (Survey). With the preparation of the final report, the survey 
team was satisfied that the testing facility appeared to meet the 
necessary criteria required by the standard, and so noted in this On-
Site Review Report (Survey). (See Ex. 2D).
    Following a review of the application file and the On-Site Review 
Report (Survey), the NRTL Recognition Program staff concluded that the 
applicant appeared to have met the requirements for recognition as a 
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for the Miami, FL facility and 
for the additional program/procedure and, therefore, recommended to the 
Assistant Secretary that the application be preliminarily approved.
    Based upon a review of the completed application file, the on-site 
assessment report, and the recommendation of the staff, the Assistant 
Secretary has made a preliminary finding that Applied Research 
Laboratories, Inc. can meet the requirements as prescribed by 29 CFR 
1910.7 to: (1) recognize the Miami, FL facility for the five standards 
previously listed; and (2) to incorporate the additional program/
procedure noted above.
    All interested members of the public are invited to supply detailed 
reasons and evidence supporting or challenging the sufficiency of the 
applicant's having met the requirements for recognition as a Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratory, as well as Appendix A, of 29 CFR 1910.7. 
Submission of pertinent written documents and exhibits shall be made no 
later than October 7, 1997, and must be addressed to the NRTL 
Recognition Program, Office of Variance Determination, Room N 3653, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20210. Copies of 
the ARL application, the laboratory survey report, and all submitted 
comments, as received, (Docket No. NRTL-1-97), are available for 
inspection and duplication at the Docket Office, Room N 2634, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of 
Labor, at the above address.
    The Assistant Secretary's final decision on whether the applicant 
(Applied Research Laboratories, Inc.) satisfies the requirements for 
recognition as an NRTL will be made on the basis of the entire record 
including the public submissions and any further proceedings that the 
Assistant Secretary may consider appropriate in accordance with 
Appendix A of Section 1910.7.

    Signed at Washington, D.C. this 1st day of August 1997.
Greg Watchman,
Acting Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-21013 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
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