# United Surveyors of Chemicals, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0503  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-02-23

98-0503 response to United Surveyors of Chemicals, Inc. concerning 173.6.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S.Department
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
FEB 23 1998
Mr. Jeffrey M. Moses, CMTS
Director of Services
United Surveyors of Chemicals, Inc.
P.O. Box 3555
Baytown, Texas 77522-3555
Dear Mr. Moses:
This is in response to your letter of January 13, 1998, regarding transportation of small
quantities of chemicals transported by your business under the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). You state that your company is a licensed public
gauger and accredited laboratory which serves the chemical industry. Your primary business
is analyzing products for customers using small amount of hazardous materials in the process.
Additionally, you may transport small amounts of hazardous materials that you use to wash
the walls of ships and analyze the run off to determine amounts of contamination. You ask
whether the hazardous materials you use to perform these analyses may be considered
Materials of Trade (MOTs).
The answer is yes. One definition of MOTs is hazardous materials transported by a private
carrier in direct support of a business that is other than transportation by highway. Provided
all conditions of § 173.6 are met, the materials of trade exception may be applied.
I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

polydous
Tile: 173.6
SC: 142,124
United Survzyors of Chemicals, Inc.
PO BOX 3555 BAYTOWN, TEXAS 77522-3555 PHONE 1-800-872-2436
1128
left message
January 13, 1998
Edward Mazzullo, Director
called
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
400 7" Street SW
Washington, DC 20590
-
Dear Sir:
I would appreciate your opinion as to whether the "Materials of Trade (MOT)" exception
in 49 CFR$173.6 would apply, as follows:
My company is a licensed public gauger and accredited laboratory serving
the chemical industry.
While acting as a private carrier, we transport liter-size bottles of chemicals
(classes 3, 8, and 9; and division 6.1) to our laboratory, or to other
laboratories, for our clients.
3.
We also transport liter-size bottles of chemicals utilized for wall-washing ships
and barges to and from the job site.
. All origins and destinations regarding the chemicals are within the State of
Texas.
4. The clients for whom we transport the chemicals are manufacturers and
distributors or trading companies. We do not transport chemicals for any
company whose principal business is transportation by motor vehicle.
Thanks, in advance for your help in this matter.
Sincerely.
I uses MOT for analysis
customer product
her mat
Director of Services
primary
analysing

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980503.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `925b722411245fab9e0f8c5a5b6041d2ef55a773e6b50b2bd3b0da9054655dd7`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T02:45:51.136Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0503`

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