# OSI — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 08-0303 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2009-01-16 08-0303 response to OSI concerning 171.23, 172.400. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materlals Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 Ms. Carolynn Buenger OSI 12 12 N. Velasco Angleton, Texas 775 15 Ref. No.: 08-0303 Dear Ms. Buenger: This responds to your December 9,2008 request for clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 17 1-1 80) as they apply to the transportation of materials that are poisonous by inhalation (PIH materials). Specifically, you suggest that there is an error in 9 172.400a(d), which excepts PIH materials from labeling or placarding requirements under certain conditions. As currently drafted, !j 172.400a(d) excepts PIH materials transported in a closed transport vehicle or freight container from labeling or placarding requirements under the conditions set forth in 9 171.23(b)(ll). You are correct that this section reference is incorrect. The correct reference is § 171.23(b)(l O)(iv), which establishes criteria for the use in the United States of labels and placards authorized under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code and Canada's Transport of Dangerous Goods regulations. We will correct this reference in a future rulemaking. I hope this answers your inquiry. Charles E. Betts Standards Development e of Hazardous Materials Standards <<>> D Q I O ~ \ I 3 17 . L ~ O O Q Drakeford, Carolyn EZC@ON kibe/,Lcj From: Sent: To: Subject: INFOCNTR Wednesday, December 10,2008 10:35 AM Drakeford, Carolyn FW: Feedback: Emergency Response Information (Sections 172.1 – 172.807) ----- Original Message----- From: PHMSA-Feedback [mailto:PHMSA-Feedback] Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 2:25 PM To: PHMSA HM Infocenter; PHMSA Webmaster Subject: Feedback: Emergency Response Information (Sections 172.1 – 172.807) I WROTE THE FOLLOWING TO THE NARA: I am a technical writer and in preparing a course on labeling I found what may be an error in 49 CFR 172.400a. Your page for Subpar: E of Title 49 (Home Page>Executive Branch>Code of Federal Regulations>Electronic Code of Federal Regulations) says that it is current as of November 21, 2008. I had difficulty understanding 49 CFR 172.400a(d) and attempted to trace through the references to orTer parts and sections. On your webpage, it reads: "A package containing a material poisonous by inhalation (see 171.8 of this subchapter) in a closed transport vehicle or freight container may be excepted from the POISON INHALATION HAZARD or POISON GAS label or placard, under the conditions set forth in 171.23(b)(11) of this subchapter." 173.23(b)(11) discus ies Class 7 (radioactive) materials. I think this is an error since a version of 172.400a evised as of October 1, 2004 replaces this reference with 171.12 and 171.12a, both of whl:h contain relevant information about labeling of materials poisonous by inhalation. Please confirm, if y,)u can. I do not want to misguide people with my writings! Thank you, Carolynn Buenger THEY REPLIED: Paragraph (d) was .'r !vised at 72 FR 21576, May 3, 2007, and is the version you quote now below. (You mention 171.12a, which was removed and reserved at 72 FR 25172 on the same day). It's not uncc unon for agencies to miss bad cross-references when amending their regulations and we :annot make changes to text without published documentation from the agency. The people it the Research and Special Programs Administration, DOT, should be able to give you fu~ther clarification. Ken Payne Can you help me understand how to interpret 172.400a(d)? Thanks ----------- Kame: Carolynn Buenger Organization: OSI Email: cbuenger@overnitecbt.com Address: 1212 N. Velasco City: Angleton rCTcE 3 Z ~ D Code: 77514 Phone: 979-799-6062 FAX : ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `6f6e4b2be7cc77b21ef21339c601e2719a3e4880cd5cf051ac15e13947780739` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-24T09:21:30.673Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-08-0303` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [ "OSI" ], "individuals": [ "Ms. Carolynn Buenger" ], "refIds": [ "08-0303" ], "catalogDates": [ "2009-01-16" ], "catalogParts": [ 171, 172 ], "catalogRowCount": 2, "sourceRecordUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/45651" ], "linkedAttachmentUrls": [], "unavailableResponseUrls": [], "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [], "citedSections": [ "171.23", "171.23(b)(ll)", "172.400", "172.400a(d)", "172.1", "172.807", "171.8", "173.23(b)(11)", "171.12", "171.12a" ], "catalogPageUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/17123", "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/172400" ], "pdfUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080303.pdf" ], "representations": [ { "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080303.pdf", "detailUrl": null, "detailHtmlPath": null, "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080303.pdf", "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/08-0303-66bfdb031f.pdf", "pdfArtifactSha256": "835b3b490b53c924b50e483079ca7c7b2bbe73fae91368060721090919a25f29", "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/08-0303-66bfdb031f.v2.txt", "extractedTextSha256": "6f5f46a7790c12fd563613a46681223f267178248a1825dd7070b71dc31cde4d", "pageCount": 2, "extractionVersion": 2 } ], "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.", "jurisdiction": "US" } ```