[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 98 (Thursday, May 21, 2015)][Notices][Pages 29345-29346]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12268]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. OSHA-H022k-2006-0062]
Preparations for the 29th 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),
Department of Labor.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: This notice is to advise interested persons that on Wednesday,
June 10, 2015, OSHA will conduct a public meeting to discuss proposals
in preparation for the 29th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee
of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and
Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held June 29 to July 1, 2015 in
Geneva, Switzerland. OSHA, along with the U.S. Interagency GHS
(Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of
Chemicals) 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.
Also, on Wednesday, June 10, 2015, the Department of Transportation
(DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
will conduct a public meeting (See Docket No. PHMSA-2015-0101, Notice
No. 15-6) to discuss proposals in preparation for the 47th session of
the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of
Dangerous Goods (UNSCOE TDG) to be held June 22 to June 26, 2015, in
Geneva, Switzerland. During this meeting, PHMSA is also soliciting
comments relative to potential new work items which may be considered
for inclusion in its international agenda and feedback on issues that
PHMSA may put forward for consideration by the Sub-Committee, such as
enhanced recognition of alternative test methods relevant to the
classification of corrosive materials (see further discussion under the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below). PHMSA will also provide an
update on recent actions to enhance transparency and stakeholder
interaction through improvements to the international standards portion
of its Web site.
DATES: Wednesday, June 10, 2015.
ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held at the DOT Headquarters
Conference Center, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE.,
Washington, DC 20590.
Times and Locations: PHMSA public meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
EDT, Conference Room 4. OSHA public meeting: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
EDT, Conference Room 4.
Registration: It is requested that attendees pre-register for these
meetings by completing the form at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3XTD2TB. Attendees may use the form to
pre-register for the OSHA meeting, the PHMSA meeting, or both meetings.
Failure to pre-register may delay your access to the DOT building.
Participants attending in person are encouraged to arrive early to allow
time for security checks necessary to obtain access to the building.
Conference call-in and "live meeting" capability will be provided
for both meetings. Specific information on call-in and live meeting
access will be posted when available at:
http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ and at:
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Maureen Ruskin, Office of Chemical
Hazards-Metals, OSHA Directorate of Standards and Guidance, Department
of Labor, Washington, DC 20210: telephone: (202) 693-1950, email:
ruskin.maureen@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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. Interested stakeholders may also provide input on
issues related to OSHA's activities in the U.S.-Canada Regulatory
Cooperation Council (RCC) at the 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 Web site located at the following web address;
http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4age.html. The UNSCEGHS
bases its decisions on Working Papers. The Working Papers for the 29th
session of the UNSCEGHS are located at:
http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c42015.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 29th session of the UNSCEGHS are not
yet posted on the UN Web site but when they become available will be
located at: http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc4/c4inf29.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-2015-0101) and on the PHMSA Web site at:
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international.
The primary purpose of PHMSA's meeting will be to prepare for the
47th session of the UNSCE TDG. The 47th session of the UNSCE TDG is the
first of four meetings scheduled for the 2015-2016 biennium. The UNSCE
will consider proposals for the 20th 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, 2019. Copies of working
documents, informal documents, and the meeting agenda may be obtained
from the United Nations Transport Division's Web site at
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.html.
General topics on the agenda for the UNSCE TDG meeting include:
Explosives and related matters
Listing, classification and packing
Electric storage systems
Transport of gases
Miscellaneous pending issues
Global harmonization of transport of dangerous goods
regulations with the
Model Regulations
Guiding principles for the Model Regulations
Electronic data interchange for documentation purposes
Cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
New proposals for amendments to the Model Regulations
Issues relating to the Globally Harmonized System of
Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
PHMSA specifically solicits comments relative to efforts by the UN TDG
and GHS Sub-Committees relevant to enhancing recognition of additional
Class 8 (corrosive) classification test methods that are currently
included within the GHS but not specifically referenced within the UN
Model Regulations for Transport. PHMSA in considering submission of a
proposal to include within the UN Model Regulations additional GHS-
based methods, such as the additivity method which was discussed by the
GHS/TDG Informal Working Group that met during the last biennium. PHMSA
sees value in the inclusion of alternative methods which provide an
equivalent level of safety provided they are included as an option to
provide greater flexibility for example with respect to the
classification of mixtures to reduce the need for in-vitro and/or in-
vivo testing where practicable.
Following the 47th session of the UNSCE TDG, a copy of the Sub-
Committee's report will be available at the United Nations Transport
Division's Web site at http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc3/c3rep.html.
PHMSA's Web site at http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/regs/international
provides additional information regarding the UNSCE TDG and related matters.
Authority and Signature: This document was prepared under the
direction of David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor
for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, pursuant
to 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 May 15, 2015.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2015-12268 Filed 5-20-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-P
