# The Govmark Organization, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 12-0147  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2012-10-01

12-0147 response to The Govmark Organization, Inc. concerning 173.302.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
OCT 0 1 2012
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington. DC 20590
Mr. Salvatore Messina
The Govmark Organization, Inc.
96 Allen Boulevard, Suite D
Farmingdale, NY 11735-5626, USA
Ref. No. 12-0147
Dear Mr. Messina:
This responds to your July 2, 2012 request for clarification on testing requirements for
cylinders under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You
state in your letter that your company is a fire testing laboratory. Specifically, you ask if
both the flame penetration resistance and thermal resistance tests specified in § 173.302(f)
are required for compressed oxygen and oxidizing gases transported by aircraft.
The answer is yes. In accordance with § 173.302(f), both the flame penetration resistance
and thermal resistance tests specified are required for compressed oxygen and oxidizing
gas transported by aircraft. Specifically, the cylinder must be placed in a rigid outer
packaging that is capable of passing the Flame Penetration Resistance Test in Appendix E
to part 178. The cylinder and the outer packaging must be capable of passing the Thermal
Resistance Test specified in Appendix D to part 178.
For your information, in accordance with § 173.302(f)(6), a cylinder of compressed
oxygen furnished by an aircraft operator to a passenger in accordance with 14 CFR
§§ 121.574, 125.219, or 135.91 is excepted from the outer packaging requirements of
paragraph (f)(3)of this section.
1 hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this
office at (202) 366-8553.
Sincerely,
Robert Benedict
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

The Govmark Organization, Inc.
96 Allen Boulevard, Suite 0- Farmingdale, NY 11735-5626- U.S.A.
Tel.: +1 631 293 8944 Fax: +1 631 293 8956
Testing Division: info@govmark.com
Test Instruments Division: instruments@govmark.com
Website: www.govmark.com
July 2, 2012
SMC 7333
John A. Gale or T. Glenn Foster
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., East Building, 2nd fl, PHH-11
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Tel.: (202) 366-8553
David Catey
Office of Flight Standards Service
Federal Aviation Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
800 Independence Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20591
Tel.: (202) 267-3732
Subject: 49 CFR Parts 173, 175 and 178 [Docket No. RSPA-04-17664 (HM-2248)] RIN
2137-AD33
Dear Sirs:
Over the last week, I've tried calling you a few times and am getting no response to our
voicemail messages.
Our company is a fire testing laboratory.
The subject document references a flame penetration resistance test and a thermal resistance
test.
Our question: Are both tests required or does the user have the option of using either one?
Cc: Douglas Lipp
I'

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120147.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `b0520a8fe9f8b8aa9d5fe9cba2dc90319ca9129b234584e7d04ffaaf6c48f8d7`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T06:26:43.985Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-12-0147`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "materialSubtype": "interpretation",
  "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials",
  "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf",
  "companies": [
    "The Govmark Organization, Inc."
  ],
  "individuals": [
    "Mr. Salvatore Messina"
  ],
  "refIds": [
    "12-0147"
  ],
  "catalogDates": [
    "2012-10-01"
  ],
  "catalogParts": [
    173
  ],
  "catalogRowCount": 1,
  "sourceRecordUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/51966"
  ],
  "linkedAttachmentUrls": [],
  "unavailableResponseUrls": [],
  "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [],
  "citedSections": [
    "173.302",
    "173.302(f)"
  ],
  "catalogPageUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173302"
  ],
  "pdfUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120147.pdf"
  ],
  "representations": [
    {
      "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120147.pdf",
      "detailUrl": null,
      "detailHtmlPath": null,
      "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120147.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/12-0147-0f171d528c.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactSha256": "c49ee2734a409945bbd0c0019f891caafda49938ab06ced1eece7a06dc410881",
      "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/12-0147-0f171d528c.v2.txt",
      "extractedTextSha256": "feeb5a4fd6e3690e7eca066ba7874db475e59122540ec2bab940ab3fce8d67e1",
      "pageCount": 2,
      "extractionVersion": 2
    }
  ],
  "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```