# Mr. Thomas Dutkiewicz — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 00-0252
- **title:** Mr. Thomas Dutkiewicz — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2000-09-21
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 00-0252 concerning 172.502.
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- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0252
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000252.pdf
**body:**

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US. Department
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
20590
Special Programs
Research and
Administration
SEP 2 1 2000
Mr. Thomas Dutkiewicz
Ref. No. 00-0252
40 Central Street
Forestville, CT
06010
Dear Mr. Dutkiewicz:
This is in response to your September 15, 2000, letter
regarding placarding provisions in S$ 172.502 and
172.504 (f) (2) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
CFR Parts 171-180). Your questions are paraphrased and
answered as follows:
Q1: What does the term "permissive placarding" mean as
specified in § 172.502 (c)?
Al: "Permissive placarding" as referenced in § 172.502 (c)
allows the display of placards for a hazardous material,
even when not required, if the placards represent the
hazard of the material
and otherwise conform to the
requirements in Part 172, Subpart F.
Q2:
Section 172.504 (f) (2) allows the use of FLAMMABLE
placards in place of COMBUSTIBLE placards on a cargo tank
or portable tank containing a combustible liquid. May
COMBUSTIBLE placards be displayed on a cargo tank filled
with a flammable liquid?
A2: The answer is no. A COMBUSTIBLE placard may not be used
in place of a FLAMMABLE placard for a cargo tank carrying
flammable liquids.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
nest
Transportation Regulations Specialists
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
172.502
000252

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• Früm: Tom Dulkiewicz To: Hazardous Material
Date: 9/15/2000 Time: 11:38:42 AM
Page 1 of 1
BAH
September 15, 2000
2172.502
Attn: Edward Mazzallo
Hazardous Material Section
Department of Transportation
Placarding
Washington, DC
Re: Clarification of regulations
00-0252
Mr. Mazzallo,
I need a clarification, interpretation and a definition of certain regulations. I do believe I
spoke to Jonathan yesterday. I was told I needed to put this request in writing for a written
response.
The first request is what does the term "Permissive Placarding" mean and what it does
not mean as stated in 172.502 Prohibited and permissive placarding.
of a COMBUSTIBLE".
The Second request is for 172.504(f)(2), "A FLAMMABLE placard may be used in place
My employer gives employees paperwork with a DOT description using "3" as a hazard
class. But the employees are placarding their single container tanker trucks with the.
Combustible two tone (red/white) background placard. The employer is under the impression
that permissive placarding is using a combustible placard to represent a flammable liquid and
are two different materials and need to be placarded appropriately.
you can use either for a flammable description. I told him flammable and combustible liquids
Is it my understanding that according to 172.504(D(2) that if the hazard class was
"Combustible liquid" you can placard the tanker truck with a red background or a flammable
with the UN number 1270, but it can not be the other way around in my case. To me you are
misplacarding or misrepresenting the true hazard if you use a combustible placard to describe a
flammable liquid.
Could you please respond to me in writing to clarify this problem. Please give me a call
before you respond to make sure you understand my request. I need this on or before September
22, 2000. Thank you for your time.
Respectfully Submitted,
Thomas Dutkiewicz
40 Central Street
Forestville, CT 06010
860-585-1136
Fax: 860-314-8268
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