{"operation":"document","citation":"01-0208","title":"MMA — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2001-10-11","effective_on":null,"summary":"01-0208 response to MMA concerning 173.121.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0208.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0208.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0208","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2001/010208.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nTransportatio\nS.Departmen\nWashington, D.C.\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\n20590\nOCT 1 1 2001\nMr. William J. Schuchman\nRef. No. 01-0208\nExecutive Director\nMMA\n10733 Big Bend Blyd.\nSt. Louis, MO 63122-6027\nDear Mr. Schuchman:\nThis is in response to your July 30, 2001 letter and subsequent conversations with Michael Johnsen of\nmy staff concerning the determination of the packing group for a flammable liquid under the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you asked for clarification of the\ncriteria for inclusion of viscous Class 3 materials in Packing Group III provided in the table in\n§ 173.121(b)(1)(iv) for viscous materials with a flash point under 23 degrees C (73 degrees F).\nYour example involves a viscous material that has a flow time of about 90 seconds through a 4 mm\ndiameter jet and has a flash point of 70 degrees F. To determine if a material could be considered a\nPacking Group III material, the conditions in § 173.121(b)(1)(i) - (iv) must be met. Your question\nconcerns interpreting the table in § 173.121(b)(1)(iv). You would first identify your flow time in column\none through a jet diameter indicated in column two. Column three indicates the minimum flashpoint for\nyour material to be considered a Packing Group III material. A material, with a flow time of 90\nseconds through a 4 mm diameter jet, falls between the range in the second entry and requires a flash\npoint above 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) to qualify for a Packing Group III material. Since the\nmaterial in this example has a flash point of 70 degrees F, then it is considered a Packing Group III\nmaterial if, in addition, the material also meets all other requirements of § 173.121(b)(I).\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nSuhan HaStig\nDelmer F. Billings\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n010208\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nJohnsen\nM\n8173.121 (b)\nOSHI\nA\nClassification\nMG1\nM\n1988\nEst.\n01-0208\nAN ENVIRONMENTAL & SAFETY/HEALTH COOPERATIVE\nServices\nJuly 30, 2001\n*AIR POLLUTION\n*AIR PERMITS\nRoom 8422\nMr. Ed Mazzullo\n*ANALYTICAL TESTING\n*ASSESSMENTS\n*ASBESTOS\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n*BIOREMEDIATION\n*AUDITS\nRSPA\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n*BULK DISPOSAL\n*CITY/COUNTY EOP\n\"CORRECTIVE ACTION PLANS\n\"COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS\n400 7'* St. SW\nWashington, DC 20590\n*DESIGN\n*EIQ REPORTING\n\"DISASTER PLANNING\nDear Sir:\n*EMERGENCY RESPONSE\n*EMERGENCY PLANS\n•EMISSION MONITORING\n*ENGINEERING\n*EMPLOYEE TRAINING\nrequest a letter of interpretation.\nSeveral of the DOT associates that we spoke with recently suggested we write you and\n*ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING\n*ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLING\n*FIRE PREVENTION\nWe would appreciate clarification of 173.121(b) which allows for grouping viscous class\n*FREE INFORMATION\n*FREE OSHA/ACRA\nHOTLINE\ncriteria and flash point/viscosity table must be met for this inclusion. The question we\n3 packaging group Il materials in class 3 packaging group III. A solvent separation\n*HAZ WASTE MGT/\nWALK THROUGH\nhave concerns the table.\n*INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE\nDISPOSAL\n*INVESTIGATION\nThe table provides ranges of viscosities, as measured by a flow cup, for various flash\n*LAB PACKS\n*LAND FARMING\n*LAB SERVICES\nquestion we have is may the viscosity exceed the range listed for a particular flash point\npoints with the viscosity specification increasing as the flash point decreases. The\n*LEAKING TANK MGT\n*LIAISON\n(LUST MGT)\nof 90 seconds in the ISO cup with a 4 mm jet would meet the viscosity criteria even\nrange? It seems logical to us that a material with a flash point of 70 degrees F and a flow\n*OSHA MEDIATION\n*NEWSLETTER\nthough the table shows a flow time range of 20 to 60 seconds for flash points above 62.6\n*PERMITS\n*OSHA PROGRAMS\n*PHASE\n*PHASE tI\nIt is believed that the viscosity ranges are inclusive for materials with flash points at or\n*PROJECT DESIGNS\n*SAFETY PROGRAMS\n*PUBLIC RELATIONS\nabove those lisied in the table. Thus in the example above all of the viscosity ranges\n•SARA SIl/FORM R/\napply since a 70 degree F flash point is above all of the flash point ranges indicated.\n*SITE CHARACTERIZATION\nTIER IS\nOtherwise lower flash point materials with the same viscosity as the example above\n*SOLID WASTE MGT\nand would he eligible forGil)It would not seem logical that a lower flash point\ncould meet the criteria, e. g, 20 seconds with a 4 mm jet a flash point of 60 degrees F,\n*SPECIAL WASTE MGT/\n*SPCCP\n*SPILL CONTROL\nDISPOSAL\nmaterial would be eligible over a higher flash point material with the same viscosity.\n*TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES\n*STORM WATER COMPLIANCE\nWe would greatly appreciate your comments.\n•TRAINER PROGRAMS\n*TIER I\n\"24 HR. EMERGENCY\nSincerely,\n\"UST MGT\nRESPONSE HOTLINE\n*UST TANK CLOSURES\n*VIOLATION MEDIATION\n*WASTE MINIMIZATION\n*WASTEWATER SAMPLING\nWilliam J. Schuchman\nExecutive Director\n10733 BIG BEND BLVD, • ST. LOUIS, MO 63122-6027 • 314-966-1006 • FAX 314-966-4176\nCORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS • 512-887-7471","truncated":false,"body_characters":4930}