{"operation":"document","citation":"00-0352","title":"Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2001-02-14","effective_on":null,"summary":"00-0352 response to Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. concerning 172.604.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0352.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0352.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0352","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000352.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nResearch and\nSpecial Programs\nAdministratior\nFEB 1 4 2001\nMr. David Tuckfield\nVinson & Elkins L.L.P.\nRef. No. 00-0352\nOne American Center, Suite 2700\n600 Congress Avenue\nAustin, TX 78701\nDear Mr. Tuckfield:\nThis is in response to your December 12, 2000, letter regarding emergency response telephone\nnumber requirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-\n180). Specifically you request clarification on the meaning of the term \"immediate access to a\nperson with detailed emergency response information.\" You provide the following scenario in\nyour letter:\nThe person answering the phone is not knowledgeable of the hazards and\ncharacteristics associated with the material that is the subject of the call, but is\nable to connect (e.g., patch) the caller to the person who can provide the\ninformation. The person answering the phone may access the person with the\ninformation at their home via telephone or pager.\nThe scenario provided in your letter qualifies as \"immediate access to a person with detailed\ninformation via telephone. If the person answering the phone must rely on a system that\nemergency response information\" if the person answering the phone accesses the person with the\nnecessitates a \"call back\" (e.g., a pager) it is not in compliance with § 172.604.\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nEland Mazzal\nEdward T. Mazzullo /\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\n000352\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nVinson &Elkins\nDEC | 3 2000\nATTORNEYS AT LAW\nVINSON & ELKINS L.L.P\nONE AMERICAN CENTER\n600 CONGRESS AVENUE\nWriter's Phone: 512-495-8562\nAUSTIN, TEXAS 78701-3200\nWriter's Fax: 512-236-3233\nTELEPHONE (512) 495-8400\nFAX (512) 495-8612\nE-mail: dtuckfield@velaw.com\nWeb: www.velaw.com\nBAH\nDecember 12, 2000\n8172.604\nEmergency Response\nVia Federal Express\nTelephone Number\nInformation Center\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n00-0352\nResearch and Special Programs Administration\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nRe:\nEmergency Response Telephone Number\nTo Whom It May Concern:\nThis letter is a request for clarification of certain requirements under 49 CFR Section 172.604\nconcerning the emergency response telephone number.\nWe have reviewed several DOT Clarification Letters posted on the DOT RSPA website that are\nanswering the emergency response telephone either (1) be able to provide detailed information\nrelated to the requirements of Section 172.604, all of which clearly state that the persor\nconcerning the material being shipped, or (2) immediately connect the caller to a person who has\nthat knowledge. Other DOT Clarification Letters also state that the emergency response\ntelephone number cannot be a pager or answering machine, which create the need for the caller\nThe following scenario is similar, but different enough that we request a clarification as to\nwhether it would constitute compliance with Section 172.604.\n• The emergency response telephone number is answered by a company's Security\nturn, will contact the company representative who is \"on call\" for emergency response.\nrepresentative (a person without specific knowledge of the waste being shipped) who, in\nThe caller is connected, or \"patched\", to the person with detailed information concerning\nthe material being shipped. The \"on call\" company representative is required to be\naccessible by home telephone number or pager. Thus, there may be instances when the\nAUSTIN\nBEIJING\nDALLAS\nHOUSTON\nLONDON MOSCOW NEWYORK SINGAPORE WASHINGTON, D.C.\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nPage 2\nDecember 12, 2000\n\"on call\" company representative is paged and must \"call back\" the Security\ncaller would likely take only a matter of a few minutes, but could possibly take five or ten\nminutes..\nThank you in advance for your assistance with this request for clarification.\nVery truly yours,\nVINSON & ELKINS L.L.P.\n01174M\nDavid Tuckfield","truncated":false,"body_characters":3984}