# FedEx Freight, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 13-0027  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2013-03-14

13-0027 response to FedEx Freight, Inc. concerning 177.817.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
MAR 1 4 2013
Mr. Mike Brust
Manager Corporate Safety
FedEx Freight, Inc.
2200 Forward Drive
Harrison, AR 72601
Ref. No. 13-0027
Dear Mr. Brust:
This responds to your January 25, 2013 email requesting clarification of shipping paper
requirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
In your letter, you describe a scenario involving the use of a three-page shipping paper
(as defined in§ 171.8 of the HMR) with consecutively numbered pages (e.g., "page 1 of
3) at the top of each page; and the hazardous material information, as required under Part
172, Subpati C of the HMR, beginning on the second page. Upon request from a
member of my staff, you provided a copy of this shipping paper for our review.
Continuing the scenario, this shipping paper is placed on top of other shipping documents
in the motor vehicle and is the only hazardous material shipping paper in the vehicle.
You ask whether this practice satisfies the requirements of shipping paper accessibility
requirement for motor vehicles under§ 177.817(e) ofthe HMR.
Placing the hazmat shipping paper on top of other shipping papers that are carried in a
motor vehicle complies with the§ 177.817(e) shipping paper accessibility requirement to
clearly distinguish the shipping paper if it is carried with other shipping papers or other
papers of any kind. Specifically, paragraph (e) requires the shipping paper to either appear
first among the papers or be distinctively tabbed to distinguish among the papers.
We note that the HMR do not specifically require hazardous material information to be
listed on the first page of a multi-page shipping paper. For instances where hazardous
material and non-hazardous material are listed on the same shipping paper, we require that
the hazardous material information either be listed first, entered in a contrasting color, or
identified by the entry of an "X" placed before the basic description in a column captioned
"HM" (please refer to§ 172.201(a)(l)). The shipping paper you provided satisfies this last
condition.
Therefore, based on the shipping paper copy you provided and the discussion above, it is
the opinion of this Office that the scenario you described would comply with the shipping
paper requirements under the HMR.

<<<PAGE 2>>>

I hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please contact this office.
Sincerely,
/Z40~
Robert Benedict
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Monday, January 28, 2013 1:48 PM
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
FW: Request for Interpretation- Shipping Paper Accessibility 177.817(e) with Continuation page
172.201 (c)
Hi Carolyn,
We received the following request for a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria
From: Brust, Mike--- Mgr-Corporate Safety--- GO [mailto:mike.brust@fedex.com]
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 6:47 PM
To: Brust, Mike--- Mgr-Corporate Safety--- GO; INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Cc: Richesin, Sandra --- Safety Compliance Specialist --- GO
Subject: Request for Interpretation- Shipping Paper Accessibility 177.817(e) with Continuation page 172.201(c)
January 25, 2013
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
East Building, 2nd Floor
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590
I would like to have an interpretation concerning the continuation page on shipping papers and how this may affect shipping
paper accessibility.
Here is the scenario:
A driver hauls a hazardous material shipment with three pages of shipping papers for this one shipment. At the top of each
page it clearly indicates "Page 1 of 3", "Page 2 of 3" and "Page 3 of 3". The first page lists information about the shipment
but not the specific amount or type of hazardous material being hauled; pages two and three contain this information. The
hazardous material shipping papers are in order and are on the top of all the other shipping papers.
If we hand an officer our shipping papers in this manner, are we compliant to 49 CFR 177.817(e) Shipping Paper
Accessibility by using the 49 CFR 172.201 (c) Continuation Page regulation?
Thank you for your time and I will be looking forward to the interpretation to this situation.
Mike Brust, CDS
Mgr-Corporate Safety
FedEx Freight, Inc.
870-704-5346
1

<<<PAGE 4>>>

DerKinderen, Dirk (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Brust, Mike--- Mgr-Corporate Safety--- GO < mike.brust@fedex.com>
Wednesday, February 20, 2013 3:00 PM
DerKinderen, Dirk (PHMSA); mike.brust@fedex.com
Re: Taff all documents - 12-12-12.pdf- Adobe Acrobat Professional
Dirk,
Good afternoon,
This shipment was the only hazardous material on the trailer.
We had the 3 pages of hazardous material shipping paper, in order, on top of the other shipping papers the driver was
hauling
Thank you
Mike Brust
From: Dirk. DerKinderen@dot.gov
To: mike.brust@fedex.com
Sent: Wed Feb 20 13:03:06 2013
Subject: RE: Taff all documents- 12-12-12.pdf- Adobe Acrobat Professional
From: Brust, Mike --- Mgr-Corporate Safety--- GO [mailto:mike.brust@fedex.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 12:23 PM
To: Brust, Mike --- Mgr-Corporate Safety--- GO; DerKinderen, Dirk (PHMSA)
Subject: Taff all documents- 12-12-12.pdf- Adobe Acrobat Professional
«Taff all documents- 12-12-12.pdf»
Dirk,
Thank you for your time today, here are the documents you requested.
Please let me know if you have any issues reading these documents,
Thank you,
Mike Brust
1

<<<PAGE 5>>>

Feb. 14. 2013210:53AM04AM
No. 9488 P.P. 1/5
Dec. 13. 2012 8:18AM
No. 3115 P. 2
DRIVERIVEHICLE EXAMINATION REPORT
Aspen 2.14.1.1.
Washing/on State Patrol
• Commerclal Vahlale Enforcement Section
Inspection Date: 12/12/2012
Roport Number: WAW708004109
9 P.O. Box 42814
Start 9:45:00 AM PT End: 10;04:51 AM PT
Phone: (380)698-3819 Fax: (360)588-3820
Olymple, WA 89604-2614
Inspection Level: I/- Walk-Around
HM Inspeollon Type: Non-Bulk
FEDEX FREIGHT INC
HARRISON, AR 72602
PO BOX 840 DG2260 SAFETY
License#: TAFF*ED368N6
Dríver: TAFF, EDWARD D
Date of Binh: 08/26/1884
Blnto: WA
USDO#: 00239039
MC/MX#: 121605
Phone#: (870)741-8000
Fax#:
Cobriver:
State#t:
Data of Birth:
License#:
State:
Lovation: SC3B STANWOOD BRYANT
Highway: 15
MlloPost: 215
Shipper: ECOLAR
County: SKAGIT, WA
Origin: EVERETT. WA
Bill of Lading: 0501555558
belination: ANACORTES, WA
Cargo: HAZMAT
VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION
Unlt Ipe Make Your Flate Pate#
Egulpment ID
VIN
1 TT KW 2007 IN 1202998
6200241
2XKMAZ7X77M167361
86,000
2 8T WANO 1080 TN T009455
WJJV281N77LS60687
BRAKE ADJUSTMENTS: No Brake Mensurements Required For Level 2
VIOLATIONS
177,017E
Vie Cade
177.817(6)
Section
Unli DOS Gillelion# Very Crank Violalions Discovered
N
Shipping paper accessibilly
HazMat: @ Corrosive material
Placard: Yes
Cargo Tank:
(Speclal Chooka: No Dala for Speciel Checks.
State Information:
DISTRICT (WaP ONLY): 7; DETACHMENT (WSP ONLY): 20;
WITH ALL APPUCABLE FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATIONS,
THE UNDERSIONED CERTIFIES THAT ALL VIOLATIONS NOTED ON THIS REPORT HAVE DEEN CORRECTED AND ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO ASSURE COMPLANQI
BIGN AND RUTURN YHIB ENTIRE REPORT WITHIN FIFTEEH (36) DAYS TO ABOVE ADDRES
Bionalure Of Motor Camst Xi
Tive:
DAle:
Edward Taff
EVT-Co
COLLINS, A
Badge fin CoDy Recever Ax
EDWARD TAFF
1oli
1461822
KNUTINO
12/19/2012 "3:31PM MGMT+00:00)
02/14/2013 5:03PM (GMT+00:00)

<<<PAGE 6>>>

Feb.14. 2013210:53AM/AM NNo. 9488:eP. P. 2/5
DRIVERS STATEMENT
Edward 0 Taff
FedEx EmpiQYEI!a 1461822
EverattWa.
RE: WSP examlnatlol'l report WAW706004103
12/12/2012
On Wednesday 12/12/2012 I was on my d!i11IVI11Y route from Everett Wa.loAnachortes Wa. I was properly
Packard 8 corroslva on my trailer due to lhe only hazardous ahlpment on board, re: Feaf!x pro#
2816261561 RO. 1 drum UN1760, corroslvetlqulds, N.O.S., 6.PG Ill (Qualemary Ammonium compound) at
462lbs. And also 1 drum oftJN3266~roslveitquld, basic Inorganic, N.O.S., 8, PGIIt(Potaaslum---
oarbonate sodium carbOnate) at 54B lbs, At 09:45 a.m. I ent~ted the StanwoOd Bryant scale house at mile
post 215 north bound lnterslate 5. As I drove over the a~tae I was red lighted. I came to a stop and J was
approached by officer A Collins, WSP badge 1161. Officer Collins greetlild me at my driver window and
slated lhat H& hl!ld noticed I was placarded tor hazardous material. I stated to him yea I waa. Officer Collins
aske<J to review my shipping paP$rB. tlrnmediately handed him my clip boitrd containing my delivery
receipts locata(l (In my passenger seat. At this lime officer Collins look my cfip board and dlr~cted me to the
inspection parking area for a level 2 walk around inspection. I complied and the Interaction was friendly. I
arriVed to thi!J Inspection area and had time to get my ln,p'ilctlon affairs in order before offi~r Collins
arrived. I prepared my documents for Officar Collins. Tractor documentfl, trailer documents, personal
documents driver license and medical card. Soon oftloer Colline anived lo my parking area With his patrol
truck. I greeted him wllh the rest of my documentation. Immediately offlr;tr Collins stated that my HM
documentation was not in order. He staled that the hazardous material paper work need!!d to be on the top
of my cflp board. I stated to him II was. I had several shipments that day and the only Hazardous shipment
was FedEx pro 2816261551 RO. That document was the flr.et document on my clip board, The document
wa~ a 3 page document The doeument was in proper order with shipper lnformallon, consignee
Information, Hrasrdoue shipping information on page two or three with the proper X In tht HM column and a
emergency response number. offleer Collins stated that page two of three of lhe documentallon needed to
be lhe first page on my allp board or be rabbed. Officer Collins noted this on his driver vehicle ~amlnslion
riport ili a violation. No citation was Issued. At!. Officer Collins was reviewing lh• paper work another lady
officer dld llle I&Vel two Inspection. All was well with !he lnspeotloo. The last part of the lnspecllon was
officer Collins inspecting the actual hazardous l'r'lt\latial shipment In the trailer. TM ehfpmenl was two drums
on a pallet properly mark$\1, shrink wrapped and secured to the ttsllar wall with rope. At this point ()fflcer
Collins Mleased me. ~unter wllh Offlcer CQIIlns was polile
~~
Edward D Tsff, Employee 1461822
12/16/12.
12/17/2012 3:23PM (GMT+OO:OO)
02/14/2013 5:03PM (GMT+OO:OO)

<<<PAGE 7>>>

(WP) Fe b. 14. 2 0131\1 0: 54AMllndex Value 2615261551 XX DR 3
No. 9488 P. 3/5
~1\.;00~.-CT) ()6'-0 tf con\;(
c/ \\ .j r\ r
DELIVERY RECEIPT
UOO FORWARD DRIVE
HAillltSON, AR n601
fedex .aom 1.866.393.4585
Tr~iler f 23123S~
TRIBLwr~ SEAFOOD CORP
ANACORTES PLANT
1400 4TH ST
ANACORTBI3
WA 98221 US
5GL
.> .
Received by:-------------~--
CJO•ar OD&m~~~~ Exccpllon$;
Dt.V l'lli:FOR
·-··-
~O~S~ho~ri~D~~Br:ok:en~BIII!IHIII--Mifi!!lilllB!Rmi!I!II!-BBnu•&BBIIIBiil!llU!BIIIllR.B!III!IIilll~.-~.
02/14/2013 5:03PM (GMT+OO:OO)

<<<PAGE 8>>>

(WP)Feb. 14. 20131\10:54AM>JndexValue2815261551 XXDR2 No. 9488 P. 4/5
\~ hlfll .ll Qf 3
DELIVERY RECEIPT
~·
2200 f'OfiWI'l.fiO DRIVE
KARRISON, AR 72601
fedex.corn 1.666.39~M585
TRra~BNT S~POOn CQRP
JWACORTES PLANT
1400 4TH S'l' ANACORTES
WA 98221 US
~~aile~ J 3312387
BCO!>AB, l:NC,
EcoLAB nrc.
18383 ~~aT RAXLROAD ROAD
CITY 0~ INDUSTRY
cA 91748 ua
4.5 0485ilO-l)j 055
~82 010
OLV BEr'OR
--~--------------Jl2l4l:Z
Exc~ptiM~:
02/14/2013 5:03PM {GMT+OO:OO)

<<<PAGE 9>>>

(WP)F e b. 14. 2013 ~ 10: 55 A~ Index Value 2815261551 XX DR 1
No. 9488 P. 5/5
· DELIVERY RECEIPT
2200 FORWARD DRIVE
HMf!I$0N. AA 72601
fede.x.com 1.866.393..4585
TRIBLENT S~POOD CORP
ANACOR'l'IIS Pl:J\NT
UQO 4TH BT ANACORTBS WA 98221 US
Trailer t aJ12367 Shipper
ECOL..UI, INC.
BCO:tAB l:Rc,
18183 nS'J:" RAILROJ\D ROAD
CITY OF lNPtJSrRY
CA 91748 US
.. , ...
. ~\-::
'.Y~ :
• ~ .J..,.
. _.t:<-.~ ...... ~J~- •• _ .. ;-·};.:
DI.V BEFOR
02/14/2013 5:03PM CGMT+OO:OO)

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130027.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `a3d0eee38ea8024c3b088e969c930417cefbf63cdf5667ec1ad3af445297cd69`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T22:16:22.042Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-13-0027`

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