OSHA Seeks Comments on EC Proposal for Workplace Electrical Product Safety
November 26, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
The U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) seeks comments on a proposal submitted by the European Commission (EC).
The proposal suggests permitting the use of supplier's declaration of conformity (SDoC) as an alternative to the nationally recognized testing laboratories (NRTLs) product-approval process that OSHA employs for certain electrical products.
NRTLs are third-party independent laboratories that meet OSHA's specified requirements to perform safety testing and certification of electrical and other products used in the workplace.
These laboratories determine whether products conform to applicable U.S. product-safety testing standards.
The NRTL program has been in place since 1988 and 15 private-sector laboratories are recognized by OSHA under the requirements of the program.
An SDoC, as proposed for use, is an equipment manufacturer or supplier's written statement that assures a product conforms to a specified test standard or a set of requirements. A manufacturer's self-approval in the form of an SDoC is allowed in the U.S. (by some federal agencies) and other countries for certain types of products, said OSHA.
Details on SDoC use and more information about the proposal can be found in OSHA's Oct. 22, 2008 Federal Register listing entitled Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories; Supplier's Declaration of Conformity.
OSHA's request for information is a U.S. deliverable under the auspices of the Transatlantic Economic Council, a bilateral body established in 2007 to fortify the U.S.-EU trade relationship and facilitate cooperation between the two economies.
Source: American National Standards Institute (ANSI).