{"operation":"document","citation":"02-0127","title":"Warrenton Regional Laboratory, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2002-05-08","effective_on":null,"summary":"02-0127 response to Warrenton Regional Laboratory, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services concerning 171.8.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0127.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0127.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0127","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020127.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nWashington, D.C. 20590\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nResearch and\npecial Program\ndministratior\nMAY\n8 2002\nRef. No. 02-0127\nBeth E. Henricson, Ph.D.\nMicrobiologist Supervisor\nWarrenton Regional Laboratory, Virginia Department\nof Agriculture and Consumer Services\n272 Academy Hill Road\nWarrenton, Virginia 20186\nDear Dr. Henricson:\nThis responds to your May 1, 2002 e-mailed request for clarification of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) as they apply to shipments of infectious substances.\nSpecifically, you ask whether a shipper may use a generic description as a technical name for an\ninfectious substance in place of the specific name of the pathogen contained in the infectious substance.\nAs defined in § 171.8 of the HMR, \"technical name\" means a recognized chemical name or\nmicrobiological name currently used in scientific and technical handbooks, journals, and texts. A\ngeneric description is authorized for use as a technical name provided it readily identifies the general\nchemical group or microbiological group. For example, an infectious substance that contains the\npathogen bacillus anthracis could be described on a shipping paper as \"Infectious substance, affecting\nhumans (bacillus species), 6.2, UN 2814\" since \"bacillus\" is the genus or group name for the micro-\norganism. In accordance with § 171.8, generic microbiological descriptions such as \"bacteria,\"\n\"fungus,\" or \"viral samples\" may be used only for samples of infectious substances that are being\ntransported for laboratory proficiency testing. Note that the emergency response information that must\naccompany a shipment of an infectious substance, in accordance with Subpart G of Part 172 of the\nHMR, must be specific to the pathogen contained in the infectious substance. In the case of a shipment\nof bacillus anthracis, the emergency response information must include specific information about the\nhealth and safely risks, how to handle a spill, and preliminary first aid measures (sec § 172.602(a)).\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact this\noffice.\nSincerely,\nelena 4. Mazzile\nEdward T. Mazzullo, Direct\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n111.8\n020127\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nPage 2\ncc:\nMr. Mike Hoysler\nDangerous Goods Administration and Safety\nFED EX Express\n3670 Hacks Cross Road\nBuilding G 2nd Floor\nMemphis, Tenn 38125\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nGorsky\n8|71. 8\nDefinitions\n1 May 2002\n02-0127\nDAvard Mazarious Materials Standards\n400 7th Street SW\nDHM 10\nATTN: Ms. Susan Gorsky\nWashington, DC 20590\nDear Sir:\nLaboratory Safety Committee hosted a teleconference with officials from DOT, USDA, AAVLD committee\nOn 29 March of this year, the Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD)\nmembers, and Fed Ex. AAVLD's members are primarily scientific directors and scientific supervisors of\nbiosecurity of 6.2 labeled packages that contain infectious agents of potential use in incidents of bio- or\nstate and federal regulatory and university veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Because of concern over\nalter the labeling so the packages would not be targeted for theft of the organisms contained in them. DOT\nagro-terrorism, government agencies receiving those packages from our regulatory laboratories wished to\nof your office, determined that our request did not require an exception to existing regulations. Regulations\nofficials from the Research and Special Programs Division, Ms. Susan Hedgepeth, and Ms. Susan Gorsky\nAffecting Humans and Animals-Bacterial Pathogen,\" rather than specifying that the package contained\nwere interpreted to allow a generic statement of pathogens contained, such as \"Infectious Substance\n\"Bacillus anthracis\", for example.\nrequested that they receive a written interpretation of the existing regulations from DOT to that effect,\nI spoke with Mr. Mike Hoysler of Fed Ex again this weck, and the Fed Ex legal department has\nallowing them to accept use of a generic statement in place of the technical name pathogen description. At\ninterpretation of the regulations to that effect to the appropriate Fed Ex personnel. Copies of the\nthe suggestion of Ms. Gorsky, I am writing this letter to ask if your office will provide a written\ndistributed to all AAVLD-associated laboratories. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.\ninterpretation of DOT regulations permitting generic labeling of 6.2 packages in these instances will be\nSincerely,\nMicrobiologist Supervisor\nWarrenton Regional Animal Health Laboratory\nQuality Assurance Coordinator\nVirgin of Deparment SAgriculture and Consumer Services\nFAX: 1-540-347-6404\nPhone: 1-540-347-6385\n--.","truncated":false,"body_characters":4664}