# Maxum West — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 10-0266  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2011-03-01

10-0266 response to Maxum West concerning 173.35, 180.352.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
MAR 0 1 2011
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Mr. Brian Biancavilla
Regional Director, Maxum West
2640 North 31st St.
Phoenix, AZ 85009
Reference No.: 10-0266
Dear Mr. Biancavilla:
This responds to your letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the transportation of new, finished lubricating oils
such as motor oil and transmission fluid, in intermediate bulk containers (!BCs). Specifically,
you ask if, assuming the oils do not meet the definition of a hazardous material under the HMR,
do the requirements for the qualification of IBCs specified in § 180.351 apply to the containers
transporting these lubricating oil products. You also ask whether a carrier can be cited by
commercial vehicle enforcement officers for failure to test or re-test the IBCs as stipulated in the
requirements for the retest and inspection of IBCs specified in § 180.352.
Provided the materials in your hydraulic oils do not meet the definition of a hazardous material,
as defined in the HMR (see § 171.8), the IBC transporting finished lubricating oils you describe
are not subject to the requirements of the HMR, including § 180.351. However, as required by
§ 173.35, when an IBC is identified as a UN specification container by its specification plate, it
must meet the specification and be retested in accordance with Part 180, Subpart D regardless of
whether the material is hazardous or not. We recommend covering the. specification plate if the
!BC is not in hazardous materials service.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
(:;;/j/~x-~~
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Revi~w and Reinvention Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

maUum. PETROLEUM
Ifndrews
:s 1/2.../0/
§ I~o .352­ Phoenix, AZ 85005
Maxum Petroleum
P.O. Box 18988
-r. 5(/5
P 602.269.7981
www.maxumpetroleum.com
lo-D:t"~
December 13, 2010
U.S. DOT
PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Attn: PHH-IO
East Building
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.
Washington, DC 20590-0001
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing today to obtain clarification regarding the transportation of new, finished
lubricating oils; such as motor oil, hydraulic oil, and automatic transmission fluid in
Intermediate Bulk Containers that are loaded onto stake bed commercial vehicles and utilized
for delivery of these products to varying customers in many states within the US.
Are IBe's carrying the above products required to be qualified as stipulated in 49 CFR 180.3511
With oil not being listed as a Hazardous Material, does Part 180.351 not apply to containers
transporting oil and oil products as identified above?
As oil is not listed in the HMT as a Hazardous Material, can a carrier be cited by commercial
vehicle enforcement officers for failure to test or re-test these IBe's as stipulated in 49 CFR
Subpart 0, 180.352, specifically 180.352(b) and 180.352(e)?
I look forward to your interpretation and guidance on this very pressing matter. Should you
have any questions, or should you require any additional information; please do not hesitate to
contact me at your convenience.
Brian Biancavilla
Regional Director, Maxum West
Environmental, Health, Safety, & Security
Maxum Petroleum
2640 North 31st Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85009
(602) 269 -7981 Office
(602) 690 - 2142 Cellular

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2010/100266.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `9241029645de6234284a9dd060c84535eafae36860155360c80054685014d6ab`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T02:54:53.644Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-10-0266`

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