# Allied Universal Corp. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 02-0056
- **title:** Allied Universal Corp. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2002-12-23
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 02-0056 response to Allied Universal Corp. concerning 172.505.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020056.pdf
**body:**

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400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
DEC 2 3 2002
Mr. Robin J. Eddy
Safety and Regulatory Compliance Manager
Allied Universal Corp.
Ref No. 02-0056
3901 NW 115" Avenue
Miami, Florida 33178
Dear Mr. Eddy:
This responds to your letter concerning our previous interpretation dated October 11, 2001 to the
Chlorine Institute regarding the requirements for placarding materials poisonous by inhalation under the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You asked for further clarification
United States from Canada or Mexico. We apologize for the delay in responding and hope it has not
caused any inconvenience. Your questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:
Q1.
Your company receives rail cars from Canada containing "Chlorine" classed as a Division 2.3
(Poison gas). The Canadian rail car displays the international "TOXIC GAS" placard with the
identification number "UN 1017"displayed across the middle, and the United States'
"POISON GAS" placard is displayed containing the words "INHALATION HAZARD."
You asked, should the United States' "POISON GAS" placard display the identification
number "UN 1017" instead of the text "INHALATION HAZARD" on the placard.
Al.
A Canadian rail car containing Chlorine transported to the United States from Canada must be
placarded with the POISON GAS placard specified in § 172.504(e), Table 1, and as shown in
§ 172.540. Except for a RADIOACTIVE or DANGEROUS placard, text indicating a hazard,
such as "INHALATION HAZARD", is not required on a placard (see § 172.519(b)(3)). The
rail car must be marked "Inhalation Hazard" on two opposing sides of a bulk packaging as
specified in § 172.313(a). When the words "INHALATION HAZARD" appear on the
placard, the marking is not required on the package.
The identification number "UN 1017" must be marked on each side and each end of a rail car
as prescribed in §172.330. In accordance with § 172.332, an identification number may be
displayed on a placard, orange panel, or white square-on-point configuration. Display of the
Canadian "TOXIC GAS" placard is not prohibited, and may be used to display the
identification number "UN 1017" for Chlorine.
020056
172.505

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Q2.
Rail car shipments of "Sulfur dioxide" from Mexico only display the international "TOXIC
GAS" placard. May rail car shipments of Sulfur dioxide from Mexico display dual placards?
A2.
In accordance with § 171.12(e), hazardous materials shipments from Mexico to the United
States or from the United States to Mexico must conform to all of the applicable requirements
of the HMR. When a rail car contains a material poisonous by inhalation, such as Sulfur
dioxide, transported from Mexico to the United States, the rail car must be placarded with the
"POISON GAS" placard as shown in § 172.540. Display of the international «TOXIC GAS"
placard is not prohibited, as specified in § 172.502(b).
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Salomon ta
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

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Engrum
§172.805
ALLIED UNIVERSAL CORP.., 3901 NW 115' Avenue, Miami, Florida 33178
Placarding
305-888-2623.
January 26, 2002
02-0056
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL
TIONS:
Mr. Robert McGuire
00 I/M SPA / OHMS
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Material Safety
19 PM 5:04
Office of Hazardous Materials Exemptions and Approvals (DHM-32)
& APPROVALS
Research and Special Programs Administration
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Re: Poison-Gas Placards for Chlorine and Sulfur Dioxide Railcars shipping from Canada and
Mexico
Dear Mr. Associate Administrator:
I have read your October 11, 2001 interpretation letter to Dr. Robert Smerko of the Chlorine
further interpretation of the following:
Institute regarding the dual placarding of Chlorine railcars. Your letter has caused a request for
1) On the chlorine railcars from Canada, we are currently receiving cars with the Hazard Class
2.3 Toxic Gas placard with the UN number 1017 displayed across the middle and the
Hazard Class 2.3 new Inhalation Hazard placard with the words "Inhalation Hazard"
displayed across the middle. For the United States' required placard, should not the railcar
display the appropriate UN number and not the Inhalation Hazard wording? After all, this is
a railcar shipment and the US does not recognize the Toxic Gas placard where the UN
2)
number is being displayed
What about railcars containing Hazard Class 2.3 material from Mexico? May they also
FRA Enforcement Officer, Nancy Hunter, in our Ranger, Georgia facility for not displaying
display dual placards? For example, a Sulfur Dioxide railcar from Mexico was cited by a
the correct placards. It displayed the Toxic Gas Hazard Class 2.3 placard and not the new
Sulfur Dioxide cars too?
If you should have any questions, please call me at 800-981-6700, extension 183.
Robin J. Eddy
Safety and Regulatory Compliance Manager
Allied Universal Corporation
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