SUMMARY: This notice announces the Mine Safety and Health
Administration's intent to review the International Electrotechnical
Commission's (IEC) standards for Electrical Apparatus for Explosive Gas
Atmospheres, Part 0, General Requirements; Part 1, Construction and
Verification Test of Flameproof enclosures of Electrical Apparatus; and
Part 11, Intrinsic Safety.
MSHA will review these standards to determine if they are
equivalent to the applicable MSHA product approval requirements or can
be modified to provide at least the same degree of protection as those
requirements.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted by January 30, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Comments must be clearly identified as such and transmitted either electronically to equivalencycomments@dol.gov, by facsimile to
(304) 547-2044, or by regular mail or hand delivery to MSHA, Approval
and Certification Center, Box 251, Industrial Park Road, Triadelphia,
West Virginia 26059. You may contact MSHA with any format questions.
Comments are posted for public viewing at http://www.msha.gov/currentcomments.asp.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David C. Chirdon, Chief, Electrical
Safety Division, Approval and Certification Center, MSHA; phone: (304) 547-2026; facsimile: (304) 547-2044; E-mail: chirdon.david@dol.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On June 17, 2003, MSHA published a final rule, 30 CFR part 6--
Testing and Evaluation by Independent Laboratories and Non-MSHA Product
Safety Standards. The rule established alternate requirements for
testing and evaluation of products that MSHA approves for use in gassy
underground mines. This final rule permits manufacturers to have their
products approved based on non-MSHA product safety standards. This will
occur only after MSHA has determined that such standards are equivalent
to its applicable product approval requirements or can be modified to
provide at least the same degree of protection as those MSHA
requirements.
Section 6.20(b) of this regulation stated that ``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.'' Section 6.20(c) further explained that ``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 solicits public input on its review of the International
Electrotechnical Commission's (IEC) standards for Electrical Apparatus
for Explosive Gas Atmospheres, Part 0, General Requirements (IEC 60079-
0); Part 1, Construction and Verification Test of Flameproof enclosures
of Electrical Apparatus (IEC 60079-1); and Part 11, Intrinsic Safety
(IEC 60079-11). The IEC is a worldwide organization for standardization
comprising all national electrotechnical committees. The object of the
IEC is to promote international cooperation on all questions concerning
standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To this end
and in addition to other activities, the IEC publishes international
standards. The standards referenced in this notice are subparts of the
IEC standards for hazardous location equipment.
MSHA welcomes comments on this review and any comments relative to
other product safety standards that could be considered for future
consideration.
After the comment period closes, an evaluation will be performed.
At the conclusion of that evaluation, the determination will be
published in the Federal Register. This determination will be
accompanied by a list of modifications, if they are deemed necessary.
Dated: November 20, 2003.
Dave D. Lauriski,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 03-29747 Filed 11-28-03; 8:45 am]
