# Director Spectra Gases, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0237  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-08-28

98-0237 response to Director Spectra Gases, Inc. concerning 173.22.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

:
4
of Transportation
U.S.Department
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Research and
Washington, D.C.
20590
Special Programs
Administration
AUG 28 1998
Ms. Elaine Bradford
Safety/Regulatory Affairs Director
Ref. No. 98-0237
Spectra Gases, Inc.
3434 Route 22
West
Branchburg, NJ
08876
Dear Ms. Bradford:
This is in response to your letter dated July 20, 1998,
requesting clarification on the proper classification of your gas
mixtures under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR
Parts 171-180). Specifically, as stated in your letter, an
overseas customer is requesting that you furnish documentation
from this Department to confirm that Spectra Gases, Inc. has
correctly classified the gas mixture in question.
•:
Under 49 CFR 173.22, it is the shipper's responsibility to
properly classify a
hazardous material:
Such determinations are
not required to be verified by this Office.
manufacturer of a material has the knowledge to properly classify
Generally, the
to initial shipment.
and is required to properly classify the hazardous material prior
I hope this satisfies your request.
:
Sincerely,
Debor Hill
elmer F. Billino.
Chief,
Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

-
Boothe
SPECTRA GASES
5G
SH322
3434 Route 22 West • Branchburg, NJ 08876 USA Tel: (908) 252-9300 • (800) 932-0624 • Fax: (908) 252-0811
Twitty
July 20, 1998
$173.22
D.O.T. Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Mr. Ed Mazzullo, Director
400 Seventh Street S.W.
follow-up
Washington, D.C. 20590
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
198-0237
I have been referred to your office by Richard Tarr (one of DOT's chemists) whom I reached after speaking
with Harpreet Singh in the Competent Authority Division.
We have an overseas customer requesting that we furnish documentation from D.O.T. to confirm that
Spectra Gases, Inc. has correctly classified the gas mixture in question
manufacturer/shipper, not by DOT. We provided then with relevant 49 CFR regulations regarding
Spectra Gases, Inc. has informed our customer that proper shipping names are assigned by the
lassification of gas mixtures and with our classification process for this mixture in particular. Our
ustomer remains unconvinced that Spectra Gases, Inc. is the final authority regarding assignment of this
-
with documentation provided by DOT Competent Authority (see attached --dated 1985?).
proper shipping name/classification. Their opinion is probably strongly based on their previous experience
documentation.
Sincerely,
Elime Bundlend
Elaine Bradford
Safety/Regulatory Affairs Director
Fax: 908-252-0811
Phone: 908-252-9300 ext 230
E-mail: ElaineB@,SGI-East.spectra-gases.com
(ale 29 1985 (1) document from US DOT Competent Authorily for the United States
(2) specifications of compressed gas mix in question (55 components, each at 1ppm; balance Nitrogen)
USA • United Kingdom • Germany • Japan
150
9002

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980237.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `6eddb1c910381a850e28df5fd4b95ca0a944ce511696589fc684e60255b3dc1d`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T06:26:40.101Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0237`

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