Disabled vehicles and broken or leaking packages; repairs.

(a)Care of lading, hazardous materials. Whenever for any cause other than necessary traffic stops any motor vehicle transporting any hazardous material is stopped upon the traveled portion of any highway or shoulder thereof, special care shall be taken to guard the vehicle and its load or to take such steps as may be necessary to provide against hazard. Special effort shall be made to remove the motor vehicle to a place where the hazards of the materials being transported may be provided against. See §§ 392.22, 392.24, and 392.25 of this title for warning devices required to be displayed on the highway.#

(b)Disposition of containers found broken or leaking in transit. When leaks occur in packages or containers during the course of transportation, subsequent to initial loading, disposition of such package or container shall be made by the safest practical means afforded under paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of this section.#

(c)Repairing or overpacking packages. (1) Packages may be repaired when safe and practicable, such repairing to be in accordance with the best and safest practice known and available.#

(2)Packages of hazardous materials that are damaged or found leaking during transportation, and hazardous materials that have spilled or leaked during transportation, may be forwarded to destination or returned to the shipper in a salvage packaging in accordance with the requirements of § 173.3, as applicable, of this subchapter.#

(d)Transportation of repaired packages. Any package repaired in accordance with the requirements of paragraph (c)(1) of this section may be transported to the nearest place at which it may safely be disposed of only in compliance with the following requirements:#

(1)The package must be safe for transportation.#

(2)The repair of the package must be adequate to prevent contamination of or hazardous admixture with other lading transported on the same motor vehicle therewith.#

(3)If the carrier is not himself the shipper, the consignee's name and address must be plainly marked on the repaired package.#

(e)Disposition of unsafe broken packages. In the event any leaking package or container cannot be safely and adequately repaired for transportation or transported, it shall be stored pending proper disposition in the safest and most expeditious manner possible.#

(f)Stopped vehicles; other dangerous articles. Whenever any motor vehicle transporting Class 3 (flammable liquid), Class 4 (flammable solid), Class 5 (oxidizing), Class 8 (corrosive), Class 2 (gases), or Division 6.1 (poisonous) materials, is stopped for any cause other than necessary traffic stops upon the traveled portion of any highway, or a shoulder next thereto, the following requirements shall be complied with during the period of such stop:#

(1)For motor vehicles other than cargo tank motor vehicles used for the transportation of Class 3 (flammable liquid) or Division 2.1 (flammable gas) materials and not transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive) materials, warning devices must be set out in the manner prescribed in § 392.22 of this title.#

(2)For cargo tanks used for the transportation of Class 3 (flammable liquid) or Division 2.1 (flammable gas) materials, whether loaded or empty, and vehicles transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive) materials, warning devices must be set out in the manner prescribed by § 392.25 of this title.#

(g)Repair and maintenance of vehicles containing certain hazardous materials—(1) General. No person may use heat, flame or spark producing devices to repair or maintain the cargo or fuel containment system of a motor vehicle required to be placarded, other than COMBUSTIBLE, in accordance with subpart F of part 172 of this subchapter. As used in this section, “containment system” includes all vehicle components intended physically to contain cargo or fuel during loading or filling, transport, or unloading.#

(2)Repair and maintenance inside a building. No person may perform repair or maintenance on a motor vehicle subject to paragraph (g)(1) of this section inside a building unless:#

(i)The motor vehicle's cargo and fuel containment systems are closed (except as necessary to maintain or repair the vehicle's motor) and do not show any indication of leakage;#

(ii)A means is provided, and a person capable to operate the motor vehicle is available, to immediately remove the motor vehicle if necessary in an emergency;#

(iii)The motor vehicle is removed from the enclosed area upon completion of repair or maintenance work; and#

(iv)For motor vehicles loaded with Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive), Class 3 (flammable liquid), or Division 2.1 (flammable gas) materials, all sources of spark, flame or glowing heat within the area of enclosure (including any heating system drawing air therefrom) are extinguished, made inoperable or rendered explosion-proof by a suitable method. Exception: Electrical equipment on the vehicle, necessary to accomplish the maintenance function, may remain operational.#

(h)No repair with flame unless gas-free. No repair of a cargo tank used for the transportation of any Class 3 (flammable liquid) or Division 6.1 (poisonous liquid) material, or any compartment thereof, or of any container for fuel of whatever nature, may be repaired by any method employing a flame, arc, or other means of welding, unless the tank or compartment shall first have been made gas-free.#

Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 177.854, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.#