# Tom Boyd — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 17-0112 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2018-05-17 17-0112 concerning 173.159. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 Materials Safety Pipeline and Hazardous Administration MAY 1 7 2018 Mr. Tom Boyd 389 Brighton Hill Road Minot, ME 04258 Reference No. 17-0112 Dear Mr. Boyd: This letter is in response to your October 10, 2017, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the configuration of wet batteries secured to a pallet. Specifically, you ask three questions regarding a letter of interpretation previously issued by this Office under Reference No. 14-0037. We have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows: Q1. You ask whether Configuration #1 in Reference No. 14-0037 complies with the provisions of § 173.159(d), which authorize the use of non-specification packagings for batteries packed without other materials. Al. The answer is no. Because the non-battery materials are placed on top of the shrink-wrapped battery layer on the same pallet in Configuration #1, the scenario is not in compliance with § 173.159(d). Q2. You ask whether a shipper may place batteries packed in 5-sided slip covers on the same pallet with other materials under § 173.159(d). A2. The answer is no. The scenario you describe in Question Q2 is only authorized under the terms of a special permit. Q3. You ask if Special Permit DOT-SP 16171 authorizes other materials, such as pails, cans, or pipes, to be packed with batteries on the same pallet. , A3. The answer is yes, provided the pails, cans, or pipes are packed in plastic totes or contained in strong outer packagings that are sift-proof if solid or leakproof if liquid. fiberboard boxes under the terms of the special permit. Further, the materials must be <<>> I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance. Sincerely, T. Glenn Foster Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch Standards and Rulemaking Division <<>> stevens $173.3. Batteries Dodd, Alice (PHMSA) 17-0112 From: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) Sent: Friday, October 13, 2017 9:39 AM To: Hazmat Interps Subject: FW: Clarification on Letter of interpretation 114-0037 Hi Alice, Please submit this as a letter of interpretation. Mr. Boyd spoke with Eamonn and Breanna.. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, Jodi From: Tom Boyd [mailto:tom@eastbranchdelivery.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 9:55 AM To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter Subject: Clarification on Letter of interpretation 114-0037 Dear Sirs, I need to know if option 1 of the above letter of interpretation is a legal meaning of shipping Batteries, Wet, filled with acid, electric stowage. The letter seems to say option 2 is ok but does not clearly say option 1 is ok. My read on option 1 is that to use that method, which allows for co-mingling batteries without individual packaging with other freight in a shrink wrapped pallet, is only allowed by obtaining a special permit 16171. Please produce a written response clarifying whether or not a shipper can ship batteries without individual packaging and labeling, like the 5 sided cartons which were the standard for a long time, co-mingled with other freight like cartons, shipping totes, pails, cans, pipes, etc. in a shrink wrapped pallet without a special permit. My read on the provisions of the special permit limit what can be co-mingled to cartons and shipping totes which would disallow the pails cans pipes etc. even if a special permit was obtained. Thank you, Tom Boyd 389 Brighton Hill Road Minot, ME 04258 207-577-4631 1 ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `4b74a9d12cd57c9b72db21c1519f8f05e46ae4c1e47dfa671ab84c5870ce5e63` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T19:28:20.270Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-17-0112` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [], "individuals": [ "Tom Boyd" ], "refIds": [ "17-0112" ], "catalogDates": [ "2018-05-17" ], "catalogParts": [ 173 ], "catalogRowCount": 1, "sourceRecordUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/70566" ], "linkedAttachmentUrls": [], "unavailableResponseUrls": [], "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [], "citedSections": [ "173.159", "173.159(d)", "173.3" ], "catalogPageUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/173159" ], "pdfUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/58571/170112.pdf" ], "representations": [ { "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/58571/170112.pdf", "detailUrl": null, "detailHtmlPath": null, "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/58571/170112.pdf", "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/17-0112-33dfb19a79.pdf", "pdfArtifactSha256": "5fc451f92e9bad4b2fccc23559efa9736057fe88d6b44210126c857c3ef7ddc6", "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/17-0112-33dfb19a79.v2.txt", "extractedTextSha256": "45653cbae4f5845a59745ac9c5d0bd8ec3386bad9cea9643c43119c4a1c97032", "pageCount": 3, "extractionVersion": 2 } ], "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.", "jurisdiction": "US" } ```