# EnerSys Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 01-0320  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2002-02-20

01-0320 response to EnerSys Inc. concerning 173.159.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

f Transportatio
S. Departmen
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Research and
FEB 2 0 2002
Mr. Jeffrey S. Koller
Ref. No. 01-0320
P.O. Box 14145
EnerSys Inc.
Reading, PA 19605
Dear Mr. Koller:
This responds to your December 12, 2001 letter requesting clarification on testing requirements for
nonspillable batteries under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask if testing is required if you change the post seal design of this battery type.
According to your letter and enclosed drawing, the existing design for your lead acid battery posts was
certified as nonspillable by a third party testing facility. In the drawing, you show a lead acid battery
post seal design that your company is planning on using. You are requesting clarification on whether
testing is required if the post seal design for the lead acid nonspillable battery is changed.
A nonspillable electric storage battery must be capable of passing the vibration and pressure differential
tests without leakage of battery fluid from the battery as provided in § 173.159(d)(3). Leakage of any
fluid, oozing, dripping, or seeping, etc. is considered as failure of the tests. Based on information
provided, it is the opinion of this Office that the new post seal design is sufficiently different that testing
is required to ensure that the batteries meet requirements in § 173.159(d)(3).
I hope this answers your inquiry.
Sincerely,
Delmer Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
173.159
010320

<<<PAGE 2>>>

12/12/01
17:49 FAX 610 208 1971
ENERSYS QA
001
Boothe
§173.159
EnerSys Inc.
P.O. Box 14145
Enersys.
Battery
610-208-1832
Fax: 610-208-1971
• 01-0320
E-mail: koller@enersysinc.com
www.encrsysinc.com
Power/Full Soiutians"
December 12, 2001.
Director of Office of Hazard Material standards
Atto: Edward Mazzullo
Department of Transportation
I am faxing you a drawing of EnerSys Inc's existing design for our lead-acid battery posts that
were certified as Nonspillable in May 1999 by a third party testing facility. The picture to the left
is the current design for the post seal. The picture to the right is the new post seal design. The
question I am posing to the DOT is, if we change to the new post design does Enersys Inc. have
to re-test this battery type or can the DOT issue a relief from re-testing.
Please contact me if there are any questions.
Regards,
Jeffrey S. Koller
EnerSys Inc.
Engineer, Supplier Quality & Packaging

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2001/010320.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `16d83ff205990d7b301026b263c29926d926e3d89c19103a764d5075d7b1f14e`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T09:44:50.220Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-01-0320`

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