Document ID: OSHA-2010-0007-0003
Agency: osha
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Definition and Requirements of a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory
Posted Date: 2013-10-02T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 191 (Wednesday, October 2, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60898-60900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-23946]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2010-0007]

Regulation on Definition and Requirements for a Nationally 
Recognized Testing Laboratory; Revision of the Office of Management and 
Budget's (OMB) Approval of Information Collection (Paperwork) 
Requirements

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

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: OSHA requests comments concerning its proposed revision and 
extension of the information collection requirements specified by its 
Regulation at 29 CFR 1910.7, ``definition and requirements for a 
nationally recognized testing laboratory'' (The Regulation). The 
Regulation specifies procedures that organizations must follow to apply 
for, and to maintain, OSHA's recognition to test and certify equipment, 
products, or material for safe use in the workplace.

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 December 2, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
    Electronically: Submit comments and attachments electronically at 
http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal eRulemaking Portal. 
Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions.
    Facsimile: If submissions, including attachments, are not longer 
than 10 pages, commenters may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at 
(202) 693-1648.
    Regular or express mail, hand delivery, or messenger (courier) 
service: Submit a copy of comments and any attachments to the OSHA 
Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2010-0007, Technical Data Center, Room 
N-2625, OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; telephone: (202) 693-2350 (TDY number: (877) 889-
5627). Note that security procedures may result in significant delays 
in receiving comments and other written materials by regular mail. 
Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about security 
procedures concerning delivery of materials by express delivery, hand 
delivery, or messenger service. The hours of operation for the OSHA 
Docket Office are 8:15 a.m.-4:45 p.m., e.t.

[[Page 60899]]

    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and the 
OSHA docket number for the Information Collection Request (ICR) (OSHA 
Docket No. 2010-0007). OSHA will place all submissions, including any 
personal information provided, in the public docket without revision, 
and these submissions will be available online at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Docket: To read or download submissions or other material in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at 
the address above. All documents in the docket 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 Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, 
are available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. 
Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in locating docket 
submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Theda Kenney (kenney.theda@dol.gov) or 
Todd Owen (owen.todd@dol.gov), Directorate of Standards and Guidance, 
OSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Room N-
3609, Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2222.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a preclearance consultation 
program to provide the public with an opportunity to comment on 
continuing information collection requirements in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA-95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). 
This program ensures that information is in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and costs) is minimal, collection instruments 
are clearly understood, and OSHA's estimate of the information 
collection burden is accurate. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 
of 1970 (the OSH Act) (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) authorizes information 
collection from employers as necessary or appropriate for enforcement 
of the OSH Act or for developing information regarding the causes and 
prevention of occupational injuries, illnesses, and accidents (29 
U.S.C. 657). The OSH Act also requires OSHA to obtain such information 
with minimum burden upon employers, especially those operating small 
businesses, and to reduce to the maximum extent feasible unnecessary 
duplication of efforts in obtaining information (29 U.S.C. 657).
    A number of standards issued by OSHA contain requirements that 
specify employers use only equipment, products, or material tested or 
approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL). These 
requirements ensure that employers use safe and efficacious equipment, 
products, or materials in complying with the standards. Accordingly, 
OSHA promulgated the regulation 29 CFR 1910.7, ``definition and 
requirements for a nationally recognized testing laboratory'' (the 
Regulation). The Regulation specifies procedures that organizations 
must follow to apply for, and to maintain, OSHA's recognition to test 
and certify equipment, products, or material for this purpose.

II. Special Issues for Comment

    OSHA has a particular interest in comments on the following issues:
    1. Whether the proposed information collection requirements are 
necessary for the proper performance of the Agency's functions 
including whether is useful;
    2. The accuracy of OSHA's estimate of the burden (time and costs) 
of the information collection requirements, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    3. The quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; 
and
    4. Ways to minimize the burden on organizations who must comply; 
for example, by using automated or other technological information 
collection and transmission techniques.

III. Proposed Actions

    OSHA proposes to revise and extend the Office of Management and 
Budget's (OMB) approval of the collection of information requirements 
specified by the Regulation on the Definition and Requirements of a 
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. In addition to extending its 
current approval by OMB, the Agency proposes to include optional 
standardized forms to facilitate and simplify the information 
collection process as part of its information collection process. The 
optional forms correspond to the application, expansion, and renewal 
processes defined in the NRTL Program. Where practicable, the forms 
will provide for automations such as drop down lists to increase ease 
of use and reduce the information collection burden. The Agency expects 
the use of the optional standardized forms to marginally reduce the 
burden hours associated with these information collection requirements. 
The Agency will summarize the comments submitted in response to this 
notice, and will include this summary in its request to OMB to extend 
and revise the approval of these information collection requirements.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Title: Definition and Requirements of a Nationally Recognized 
Testing Laboratory (29 CFR 1910.7).
    OMB Control Number: 1218-0147.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 68.
    Frequency of Recordkeeping: On occasion.
    Total Responses: 68.
    Average Time per Response: 160 hours for an organization to prepare 
initial recognition applications to 16 hours for an annual site visit.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 1,458.
    Estimated Cost (Operation and Maintain): $0.

IV. Public Participation--Submission of Comments on This Notice and 
Internet Access to Comments and Submissions

    You may submit comments in response to this document as follows: 
(1) Electronically in the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket Number OSHA-2010-0007; (2) by 
facsimile (fax); or (3) by hard copy. For further information on 
submitting comments by facsimile or in hard copy, please see the 
section of this notice entitled ADDRESSES above. All comments, 
attachments, and other material must identify the Agency name and the 
OSHA docket number for the ICR (Docket No. OSHA-2010-0007). You may 
supplement electronic submissions by uploading document files 
electronically. If you wish to mail additional materials in reference 
to an electronic or facsimile submission, you must submit them to the 
OSHA Docket Office (see the section of this notice titled ADDRESSES). 
The additional materials must clearly identify your electronic comments 
by your name, date, and the docket number so the Agency can attach them 
to your comments.
    Because of security procedures, the use of regular mail may cause a 
significant delay in the receipt of comments. For information about 
security procedures concerning the delivery of materials by hand, 
express delivery, messenger, or courier service, please contact the 
OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2350, (TTY (877) 889-5627).
    Comments and submissions are posted without change at http://

[[Page 60900]]

www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about 
submitting personal information such as social security numbers and 
date of birth. Although all submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index, some information (e.g., copyrighted 
material) is not publicly available to read or download through this 
Web site. All submissions, including copyrighted material, are 
available for inspection and copying at the OSHA Docket Office. 
Information on using the http://www.regulations.gov Web site to submit 
comments and access the docket is available at the Web site's ``User 
Tips'' link. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for information about 
materials not available through the Web site, and for assistance in 
using the Internet to locate docket submissions.

V. Authority and Signature

    David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210, authorized the preparation of this notice. 
Accordingly, the Agency is issuing this notice pursuant to Section 
8(g)(2) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (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. Signed at Washington, DC, on September 26, 
2013.

David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2013-23946 Filed 10-1-13; 8:45 am]
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