# Fortco Plastics, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 06-0029  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2006-02-22

06-0029 response to Fortco Plastics, Inc. concerning 178.601.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

..i"
2 200
Mr. Stephen Jetter
Ref. No. 06-0029
Fortco Plastics, Inc.
500 Industrial Park Road
Portland, IN 47371
Dear Mr. Jetter:
This is in response to your letter requesting clarification of the stacking requirements
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49CFR, Parts 171-180). Specifically,
you ask whether either stack test method in § 178.606 may be used to comply with
Variation 5 in § 178.601(g)(5).
The answer is no. The option for using either the stack test method in § 178.606(c)(1) or
(c)(2)(ii) applies to periodic retesting only. For design qualification testing, you must use
the stacking test prescribed in § 178.601(c)(1). If you wish to use an alternative test
method for compliance with Variation 5, you may apply for an approval in accordance
with Subpart H of Part 107.
I hope this information helpful. Please contact this office should you have additional
questions.
Sincerely,
* Male t
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
1786016916)
060029

<<<PAGE 2>>>

January 18, 2006
06-0029
Delmer Billings
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety
400 7th St., S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Mr. Billings:
Fortco Plastics is requesting a clarification on section 178:601 (g) (5) (Selective testing
variation V for plastic single packages). Subpart ii of the section calls out the
requirement for the stacking test as specified in 178.606. Section 178.606 contains two
stacking test methods; the 28 days stack test and the dynamic compression stack test.
Can either method be used to comply with the variation V requirement?
Thank you for taking the time to clarify this question.
Sincere
site that
Stephen Jetter
VP - Engineering
MANUFACTURERS OF BLOW MOLDED CONTAINERS

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2006/060029.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `31d1549d1b4d0242406c4ed13a8a32e0837c9549eef1ef4324e8e06248a51c80`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T20:22:38.363Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-06-0029`

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