UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Joint Public meeting Notice: Preparations for the official 39th session of the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS)

Summary: This notice is to advise interested persons that on Thursday November 19, 2020, OSHA will conduct a virtual public meeting to discuss proposals in preparation for the official 39th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (UNSCEGHS) to be held as a hybrid (in-person and virtual) meeting in early December 9-11, 2020, in Geneva, Switzerland, 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).

Also on Thursday November 19, 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will conduct a virtual public meeting (See 84 FR 11865, 2019-05892) to discuss proposals in preparation for the 58th session of the United Nations Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UNSCE TDG) to be held November 30-December 7, 2020, 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.

DATES and TIMES: The PHMSA public meeting will be held on Thursday November 19, 2020, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., ET. The OSHA public meeting will be held November 19, 2020, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., ET.

Registration To Attend and/or To Participate in the Virtual Meeting: These meetings will be open to the public on a first-come, first served basis, as space is limited. Advanced meeting registration information will be posted on the PHMSA website. DOT is committed to providing equal access to this meeting for all participants. If you need alternative formats or services because of a disability, such as sign language, interpretation, or other ancillary aids, please contact the person listed in the "FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT" section.

Attendees may use the same form to pre-register for both meetings. Failure to pre-register may delay your access into the DOT Headquarters conference call line. Conference call-in and “Microsoft TEAMS meeting� capability will be provided for both meetings.

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Information on how to access the conference call and “TEAMS meeting� will be posted when available at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/international-program/international-program-overview, under Upcoming Events.

ADDRESSES: Both meetings will be held virtually hosted from the DOT Headquarters. This meeting will be held by conference call/Teams. There will not be an in-person meeting at DOT HQ. Written Comments: Interested parties may submit comments between November 17 through December 3, 2020, on the Working and Informal Papers for the 39th sessions of the UNSCEGHS to the docket established for International/Globally Harmonized System (GHS) efforts at: https://www.regulations.gov, Docket No. OSHA-2016-0005.

TIMES AND LOCATIONS: PHMSA public meeting: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EDT, virtually, OSHA public meeting: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EDT, virtually.

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

On June 19, 2013, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch of the Department of Health of Canada (HECS). Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA signed the partnership agreement with Suzy McDonald, Director General, Workplace Hazardous Materials Directorate, HECS. The MOU allows OSHA and HECS to collaborate on implementing the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) in their respective jurisdictions, and continue to coordinate efforts in any future developments of the GHS.

Dr. David Michaels, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA explained that "through GHS and now this MOU, OSHA and Health-Canada have forged a relationship to jointly provide concise information to protect those exposed to hazardous chemicals." Under the agreement, OSHA and HECS will establish a working group to reduce systematic barriers between the U.S. and Canadian systems responsible for occupational safety and health of workplace chemicals, and collaborate to reach common positions for the United Nations' Sub-Committee of Experts on the GHS about proposed updates to the system, among other goals.

On May 28th, 2015, OSHA announced that it will continue its partnership with Health Canada to align the United States and Canadian regulatory approaches regarding labelling and classification requirements for workplace chemicals through the Regulatory Cooperation Council.  For more details, please see the press release.

The Joint Plan Forward provides a framework to foster U.S. and Canada's long-term relationship.  As part of the Joint Plan Forward, OSHA and Health Canada worked closely to develop a Regulatory Partnership Statement (RPS) and a Work Plan in which stakeholders were consulted.  The meaningful involvement of stakeholders is a critical part of assisting OSHA and Health Canada's continued cooperation.  OSHA and Health Canada will continue to seek stakeholder input on a regular basis, including the annual update of the Work Plan.

To view the latest Regulatory Partnership Statement and 2016-2017 Work Plan for chemical labeling, as well as all the other initiatives under the RCC, please, visit the Department of Commerce website.

Health Canada and U.S. OSHA government representatives will be hosting a RCC webinar for interested stakeholders on June 28^th, 2017 from 1:30-2:30 P.M. (EST). For more information, click here.