{"operation":"document","citation":"00-0277","title":"Design Certifying Engineer — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2000-10-27","effective_on":null,"summary":"00-0277 response to Design Certifying Engineer concerning 178.345.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0277.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0277.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0277","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000277.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\nWashington, D.C.\n400 Seventh Streel, S.W.\n20590\nResearch and\nSpecial Programs\nAdministration\nOCT 2 7 2000\nMr. David Fellows\nRef. No. 00-0277\nDesign Certifying Engineer\n904 Hawks Hollow\nDelafield, Wisconsin 53018\nDear Mr. Fellows:\nThis responds to your letter, dated September 20, 2000, concerning installation of a non-metallic\npacking gland in the bulkhead of a specification cargo tank under the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You provided two news articles about cargo tanks\nmanufactured with internal agitation systems that utilize this design feature.\nAs you noted in your July 5, 2000 letter on this subject, the HMR do not specifically prohibit a\ndesign modification of the type described in the articles. However, if a non-metallic seal or\npacking gland is utilized, it must be as strong and heat resistant as the material used for\nconstruction of the cargo tank (see § 178.345-9(h)). It is not clear from the information you\nprovided that the cargo tanks described conform to this requirement. The Federal Motor Carrier\nSafety Administration intends to investigate further with cargo tank manufacturers and operators\nto ascertain whether these cargo tanks conform to HMR specification requirements and, if not, to\nadvise manufacturers and operators on options for achieving compliance with the HMR.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact\nthis office.\nSincerely,\nomar A. All\nThomas G. Allan\nSenior Transportation Regulations Specialist\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n178,345\n000277\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nDAYAN CEMENTIO\nf Bulk Transport\nDesign and Application\nPneumatic Dry Bulk Trailers\nPetroleum Tank Trailers\nEquipment and Systems\nSanitary Tank Trailers\nChemical Tank Trailers\n2178.345\nDelafield, Wisconsin 53018\n904 Hawks Hollow\ne-mail Davfellows@aol.com\nD.O.T. Registored D.C.E.\nPhone 262/646-5440\nCargo\nTanks\nFax 262/646-2527\n00-0277\nSeptember 20, 2000\nMr. Thomas G. Allen\nSenior Transportation Regulations Specialist\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards, RSPA.\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n400 Seventh Street S.W.\nWashington DC. 20590-0001\nRef. No. 00-0190\nDear Mr. Allen,\nThank you for your letter of August 9, 2000 regarding the appropriateness of installing a non-metalic\npacking gland in the bulkhead of a Specification cargo tank.\nIn your memo you indicated that it was difficult to evaluate the merits of such a design without seeing a\npicture or design specifications.\nI am enclosing reprints of two articles on cargo tanks produced with this design feature. The articles are\nfrom Modern Bulk Transporter, and Trailer Body Builder, both published about 1995 or 1996.\nI have no information that these cargo tanks have been involved in a hazardous materials incident. It\nappears that enclosing the external part of the mechanism in a secondary enclosure would be feasible.\nMy interest in this subject was brought about by questions I received from business associates and clients\nregarding the use of the through the shell rotating seal on Specification cargo tanks.\nThank you for your response.\nVaried alar\nDavid Fellows\nDesign Certifying Engineer\nCT-5132\nEnc. Two\nWinter Address • 14 Majorca Dr. • Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 • Phone 760/202-0435 • Fax 760/321-0574","truncated":false,"body_characters":3332}