# Howard Sheppard, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 15-0063  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2016-02-11

15-0063 response to Howard Sheppard, Inc. concerning 171.8, 173.24.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
FEB 1 1 2016
Mr. Michael Kitchens
Howard Sheppard, Inc.
P.O. Box 797
Sandersville, GA 31082
Ref. No. 15-0063
Dear Mr. Kitchens:
This is a response to your March 2 7, 2015 letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) with regard to the closures of
packagings. Specifically, you request clarification whether loading and unloading equipment
(i.e. the hose and hose tray) that is unattached to a DOT specification cargo tank is considered
a packaging and thus required to meet the closure requirements in § 173 .24(f)(l ). In your
letter, you state that during a commercial motor vehicle inspection you were issued a violation
due to material leaking from a hose, which is used to load and unload product, into a hose tray
used to store the hose on the vehicle. In this scenario, the vehicle was a DOT Specification
407 cargo tank transporting "UNI 830, Sulfuric Acid."
It is the opinion of this Office that the unattached hose used for loading and unloading of
hazardous materials and the hose tray used to hold that hose during transportation are not
considered a packaging. As defined in § 171.8, a packaging means a receptacle and any other
components or materials necessary for the receptacle to perform its containment function in
conformance with the minimum packing requirements of the HMR. Therefore, this
equipment is not subject to the packaging closure requirements in§ 173.24(f)(l).
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to
contact this office.
s~1~/~~
~~r
Chief, Standards Development
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Goodall, Shante CTR (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
Ciccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)
Friday, March 27, 2015 2:50 PM
Hazmat Interps
FW: Interpertation of Hazrdous Materials Regulations Request
Interpertation Letter.pdf; DataQs_Request_996304.pdf; Inspection report.pdf; IMG_
0066.JPG; IMG_0065.JPG
Shante/ Alice,
Please submit this for a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Mike
From: Michael Kitchens [mailto:mkitchens@howardsheppard.com]
Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 9:35 AM
To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter
Subject: Interpertation of Hazrdous Materials Regulations Request
I have attached a letter for an official interpretation ofthe Hazardous Materials Regulations as it pertains to cargo tanks
and packagings. I have also attached a copy of the inspection report showing the violation of the regulation and the Data
Q challenge and response that I am requesting the interpretations on. I have attached two photos that show the hoses
and hose tray, the hoses were in the tray at the time of inspection.
Michael Kitchens
Safety Director
P.O. Box 797; Sandersville, Georgia 31082
Office: 478-552-5127 Ext.1270
Toll Free: 800-846-1726
Cell: 478-357-2302
Email: mkitchens@howardsheppard.com
1

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Michael Kitchens, Safety Director
PO Box 797 ·Sandersville. GA 31082
(478) 552-5127 Ext. 1270
Cell: (478) 357-2302
E-Mail-mkitchens@howardsheppard.com
U.S. DOT
PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Attn: PHH-10
East Building
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Re: Interpretation of the Hazardous Materials Regulations 173.24(f)(l) as it pertains to a 407
Cargo Tank.
Dear Sir/Madam:
We received a commercial vehicle inspection on February 25, 2015 in South Carolina by the
South Carolina State Transport Police and were issued a violation for 173 .24( f) ( 1 ). The
violation stated "Trailer-closures for packagings must not be open or leaking (leaking from
fill hoses in side of trailer)". Our driver was placed out of service for this violation. I would
also like to mention the fact that it was raining and that the officer never tested the liquid to
confirm if it was product or rain water. We also applied neutralizer to the area where the
product was reported to have leaked and there was no reaction. The product we were
transporting at the time of inspection was Sulfuric Acid, UN1830. The product was being
transported in a 407 Cargo Tank. I submitted a Data Q and requested the violation be
removed. On March 18, 2015 I received a reply from the South Carolina State Transport
Police denying the challenge. Their reply was that, "when the hose leaks into the tray, the
tray becomes the package and can not leak". The hose tray is designed with drain holes and a
drain pipe to allow it to drain. I have attached copies of the original inspection report, the
Data Q, the response from SC State Transport Police, and photographs.
I have two questions I would like an official interpretation on to assist me in this manner.
Question# 1
Is a hose used for loading and unloading product which is not attached to the cargo tank it
self, but is laying in a hose tray on the side of the trailer considered a package requiring
closures under CFR 173 .24(f)(1 )?

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Question# 2
Is the tray which is attached to the side of the trailer and designed to store hoses considered a
package under the Hazardous Materials Regulations?
I would appreciate any assistance you could provide in this matter with interpreting the cited
regulation. If this is in fact a violation, we may need to review our procedures for
transporting hoses in a hose tray.
Regards,
~-----.
Michael Kitchens, Safety Director .

<<<PAGE 5>>>

State Transport Police
PO Box1993
http:llwww.scdps.org -- http://fmcsa.dot.g · Blythewood, sc 29016
Phone: (803)896·5500 Fax: (803)896..S526
Report Number: SCM255001151
Inspection Date: 02/2512015
Start: 1 :20:00 PM ET End: 3:07:24 PM ET
Inspection Level: II - Walk-Around
HM Inspection Type:Bulk
HOWARD SHEPPARD IN0
755 WACO DRIVE
State: GA
SANDERSVILLE, GA 31082-0797
USOOT#:Oo092818 . Phone#: (478)552-5127
MC/IViX#: 133920 Fax#:
State:
State#:
Location: 1-95 NB DORCHESTER COUNTY
Highway:
County: DORCHESTER, SC Driver: TANNER, GARY J
License#: 0045£:)27 50
Date of Birth: 05/05/1958
Co Driver:
License#:
Date of Birth:
MllePost: Shipper: SOUTHERN STATES CHEMICAL
Origin: SAVANNAH, GA Bill of Lading:20167306
Destination:ORANGEBURG, SC Cargo: N - HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
1 . ' . ' . '. -,~·~··=,..,
!VEHICLE IOErntFICATION
l . .
I Unit Type Make Year State. Plate# Equipment ID
VIN GVWR CVSA # CVSA Issued# 005 Sticker
11 TT IN"J:L 2015 GA.: IC13PM
! 2 ST POLA 2014 GA LE53511
1909
AT343
3HSOJAPROFN021785 52,350
1PMS34226E1043759 68,000
L~-·-·M-•·······-"c · ·
BRAKE ADJUSTMENTS: No Brake Measurements Required For Level 2
lvlOLATIQNS. · -
·-----·---
.
... ·----·----·· .
·····----·-
·--··---- -··-·-·······
..
I .
! Vio Cooe Section Unit OOS Citation # Verify Crash Violations Discovered
} 173:24F{ 173.24(f}[1) 2 Y w472234 u N TRAILER· Closures for packagings must not be open or leaking (
1._ -......,..---··----~----- _ .. __
·-·-·--
___ _ __ _!:..<:,~king f!"Oin fill_l_1ose~ In side ~ft~-~) .......
Hazl\ll.at! 8 Corrosive ma!erial Placard: Yes Cargo Tank: 407
LSpecial Checks: No Data for_§picial Che~k~·-·· ..
N __ , ___ • -~-~.-~.,,,.----.;-~?J
State Information:
COL Cheek: Y; Driver Mailing Address: PO 753; Driver City, State, Zip: SANDERSVILLE GA, 31082; Driver Race: W, Driver Sex: M;
Purwant to thi> aµttiority 1:onblinttd ill Tltie 49, CFR; Section 396.9 of the Trensportlltion Rules/Regulations. I hereby delilar11 the above marked ~hicl0(1'}1driver as. ·our OF SERVICE". No
poo;on shall remo\IQ tho Out or Serivce·Sttckers app~ed to these vehicles. er operate such vehicles until the out of sel\lice defects have benn repairttd and th" vehicles have been restored
lo ufe openiling condidon, . .
Follure lo r&lmtl)hi!ireport · e.roquWl.d cort!rt<:o • n can sultin penalties up to S1,000 per day for each day ~e ~n contin~es. up toe total of SI0.000.
Slgneluro OfR1tpulrerX: Faclllty: t;;J:;.t:.d.s < cle Da:e;,.=;..1-=~-t.-==---
CARRIER CERTIFICATION: The undersigned certifies that all violations on this rttport have been eorrecled end action has been lllken to as-sure compliance "ith th& Fadera!MotorCamer
Safety and H~uc ~lerial Regiilallons insor8! as th&y a10 appHoablo to motor cairi&rs and d1wers. Tills certification MUST BE SIGNED by the Motor Cam er and RETURNED WITHIN
15 dajt to t1te:·s:6Uth Carolina Stata T11111Sport Polic&, P.O. Box 1993. Blythewood. South Carolina 29016.
SignlllllreOfMolor.CllrrlorX: ____________ ._ __
-'------ Title: __________ Dato:, _____ _
t
Report Prepared By:
~AMILL~ /
Badge#:
255

<<<PAGE 6>>>



<<<PAGE 7>>>



<<<PAGE 8>>>

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2016/150063.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `c17ea2eeb1fb37770965f44d27191abc82b6fbaf78960c899dd4123cf128970e`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T04:05:00.899Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-15-0063`

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