Document ID: OSHA-2016-0005-0053
Agency: osha
Document Type: Notice
Title: Preparations for the 38th Session of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS)
Posted Date: 2019-11-05T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59651-59652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24084]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket No. OSHA-2016-0005]

Preparations for the 38th 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), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested persons that on Tuesday, 
November 12, 2019, OSHA will conduct a public meeting to discuss 
proposals in preparation for the 38th session of the United Nations 
Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of 
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held 
December 11 through December 13, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, 
along with the U.S. Interagency Globally Harmonized System of 
Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) 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. OSHA also will give an update on the Regulatory Cooperation 
Council (RCC).

DATES: The PHMSA public meeting will be held on November 12, 2019, 9:00 
a.m. to 12:00 p.m., ET. The OSHA public meeting will be held November 
12, 2019, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., ET.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held at the DOT Headquarters 
Conference Center, West Building, Conference Room 8, 9, 10, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.

[[Page 59652]]

    Written Comments: Interested parties may submit comments by 
November 11, 2019, on the Working and Informal Papers for the 38th 
session of the UNSCEGHS to the docket established for International/
Globally Harmonized System (GHS) efforts at: http://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. OSHA-2016-0005.
    Registration To Attend and/or To Participate in the Meeting: DOT 
requests that attendees pre-register for these meetings by completing 
the form at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RNTWXG8.
    Attendees may use the same form to pre-register for both meetings. 
Failure to pre-register may delay your access into the DOT Headquarters 
building. Additionally, if you are attending in person, arrive early to 
allow time for security checks necessary to access the building. 
Conference call-in and ``Skype meeting'' capability will be provided 
for both meetings. Information on how to access the conference call and 
``Skype meeting'' will be posted when available at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/international-program/international-program-overview 
under Upcoming Events. This information will also be posted on OSHA's 
Hazard Communication website on the international tab at: https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/hazcom_international.html#meeting-notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    At the Department of Transportation: Please contact Mr. Steven Webb 
or Mr. Aaron Wiener, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Department 
of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590, telephone: (202) 366-8553.
    At the Department of Labor: Please contact Ms. Maureen Ruskin, OSHA 
Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Department of Labor, Washington, 
DC 20210, telephone: (202) 693-1950, email: ruskin.maureen@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, the 
Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 
Safety Administration (PHMSA) will conduct a public meeting (See 84 FR 
11865, 2019-05892) to discuss proposals in preparation for the 56th 
session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport 
of Dangerous Goods (UNSCE TDG) to be held December 2 through December 
11, 2019, in Geneva, Switzerland. During this meeting, PHMSA is also 
requesting comments relative to potential new work items that may be 
considered for inclusion in its international agenda. PHMSA will also 
provide an update on recent actions to enhance transparency and 
stakeholder interaction through improvements to the international 
standards portion of its website.

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.
    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 website located at the following web address: http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/ghs/ghs_welcome_e.html.
    The UNSCEGHS bases its decisions on Working Papers. The Working 
Papers for the 38th session of the UNSCEGHS are located at: https://www.unece.org/fr/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c42019.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 38th session of the UNSCEGHS are 
located at: https://www.unece.org/fr/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4inf38.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-2018-0113, Notice No. 
2018-23), and on the PHMSA website at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/international-program/international-program-overview.
    The primary purpose of PHMSA's meeting is to prepare for the 56th 
session of the UNSCE TDG. This session of the UNSCE will consider 
proposals for the 21st 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, 2021. Copies of 
working documents, informal documents, and the meeting agenda may be 
obtained from the United Nations (UN) Transport Division's website at: 
https://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc3/c32019.html and https://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc3/c3inf56.html.
    During this meeting, PHMSA is also soliciting input relative to 
preparing for the 56th session of the UNSCE TDG as well as potential 
new work items which may be considered for inclusion in its 
international agenda. Following the 56th session of the UNSCE TDG, a 
copy of the Sub-Committee's report will be available at the UN 
Transport Division's website at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc3/c3rep.html.
    Additional information regarding the UNSCE TDG and related matters 
can be found on PHMSA's website at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/international-program/international-program-overview.

Authority and Signature

    Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Occupational 
Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, authorized the preparation 
of this notice under the authority granted by 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 October 28, 2019.
Loren Sweatt,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety 
and Health.
[FR Doc. 2019-24084 Filed 11-4-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P