MSHA acceptance of equivalent non-MSHA product safety standards.

     (a) MSHA will accept non-MSHA product safety standards, or groups of standards, as equivalent after determining that they:

     (1) Provide at least the same degree of protection as MSHA's product approval requirements in parts 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 27, 33, 35 and 36 of this chapter; or

     (2) Can be modified to provide at least the same degree of protection as those MSHA requirements.

     (b) MSHA will publish its intent to review any non-MSHA product safety standard for equivalency in the Federal Register for the purpose of soliciting public input.

     (c) A listing of all equivalency determinations will be published in this part 6 and the applicable approval parts. The listing will state whether MSHA accepts the non-MSHA product safety standards in their original form, or whether MSHA will require modifications to demonstrate equivalency. If modifications are required, they will be provided in the listing. MSHA will notify the public of each equivalency determination and will publish a summary of the basis for its determination. MSHA will provide equivalency determination reports to the public upon request to the Approval and Certification Center.

     (d) After MSHA has determined that non-MSHA product safety standards are equivalent and has notified the public of such determinations, applicants may seek MSHA product approval based on such non-MSHA product safety standards.