{"operation":"document","citation":"01-0320","title":"EnerSys Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2002-02-20","effective_on":null,"summary":"01-0320 response to EnerSys Inc. concerning 173.159.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0320.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0320.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-01-0320","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2001/010320.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nf Transportatio\nS. Departmen\nWashington, D.C. 20590\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nResearch and\nFEB 2 0 2002\nMr. Jeffrey S. Koller\nRef. No. 01-0320\nP.O. Box 14145\nEnerSys Inc.\nReading, PA 19605\nDear Mr. Koller:\nThis responds to your December 12, 2001 letter requesting clarification on testing requirements for\nnonspillable batteries under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nSpecifically, you ask if testing is required if you change the post seal design of this battery type.\nAccording to your letter and enclosed drawing, the existing design for your lead acid battery posts was\ncertified as nonspillable by a third party testing facility. In the drawing, you show a lead acid battery\npost seal design that your company is planning on using. You are requesting clarification on whether\ntesting is required if the post seal design for the lead acid nonspillable battery is changed.\nA nonspillable electric storage battery must be capable of passing the vibration and pressure differential\ntests without leakage of battery fluid from the battery as provided in § 173.159(d)(3). Leakage of any\nfluid, oozing, dripping, or seeping, etc. is considered as failure of the tests. Based on information\nprovided, it is the opinion of this Office that the new post seal design is sufficiently different that testing\nis required to ensure that the batteries meet requirements in § 173.159(d)(3).\nI hope this answers your inquiry.\nSincerely,\nDelmer Billings\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n173.159\n010320\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n12/12/01\n17:49 FAX 610 208 1971\nENERSYS QA\n001\nBoothe\n§173.159\nEnerSys Inc.\nP.O. Box 14145\nEnersys.\nBattery\n610-208-1832\nFax: 610-208-1971\n• 01-0320\nE-mail: koller@enersysinc.com\nwww.encrsysinc.com\nPower/Full Soiutians\"\nDecember 12, 2001.\nDirector of Office of Hazard Material standards\nAtto: Edward Mazzullo\nDepartment of Transportation\nI am faxing you a drawing of EnerSys Inc's existing design for our lead-acid battery posts that\nwere certified as Nonspillable in May 1999 by a third party testing facility. The picture to the left\nis the current design for the post seal. The picture to the right is the new post seal design. The\nquestion I am posing to the DOT is, if we change to the new post design does Enersys Inc. have\nto re-test this battery type or can the DOT issue a relief from re-testing.\nPlease contact me if there are any questions.\nRegards,\nJeffrey S. Koller\nEnerSys Inc.\nEngineer, Supplier Quality & Packaging","truncated":false,"body_characters":2511}