# Hobart Huson — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 02-0317
- **title:** Hobart Huson — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2003-01-23
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 02-0317 concerning 172.201.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0317.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0317.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0317
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020317.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department
Research and
of Transportation
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Administratior
special Program:
JAN 2 3 2003
220 Carolwood Drive
Mr. Hobart Huson
Ref. No. 02-0317
San Antonio, TX
78213
Dear Mr. Huson:
This is in response to your letter dated December 6, 2002,
consisting of non-hazardous materials and hazardous materials
concerning the shipping paper requirements for a shipment
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 19 CER Parts
171-180). " Specifically, you ask if a non-hazardous material
must be described on a shipping paper in the same manner as a
hazardous material when transported together as a mixed
shipment.
The answer is no.
of hazardous materials in commerce.
The HMR only apply to the transportation
paper requirements in Part 172, Subpart C do not apply to a
•Therefore, the shipping
non-hazardous material. However, a shipping paper that
describes both hazardous materials and non-hazardous
-materials must comply with $ 172.201 (a) (1).
Sincerely,
Office of Hazardous Materials
Regulations Specialist
Standards
172.201
020317

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Page 1 of 1
8112.201
INFOCNTR
From: Husons [husons@earthlink.net]
Shipping Papers
Sent: Friday, December 06, 2002 3:53 PM
03 - 0317
To:
Infocntr, Infocntr <RSPA>
Subject: Nonhazardous Material Shipping Question
Dear Sirs,
I was hoping your department could provide for me alletter of clarification regarding nonhazardous materials
shipping.
I used to run a laboratory chemical distributorship. We sold and shipped many different hazardous and non
been implied that any nonhazardous material was not subject to the shipping documentation required of
hazardous chemicals. Because the CFR 49 oniy describes the regulations of hazardous materials, it has long
lading or other shipping documents when being shipped. Only hazardous materials are required to be listed with
hazardous materials. Specifically, there is no DOT requirement that nonhazardous materials be listed on a bill of
their appropriate DOT and UN information etc.
I am currently in dispute with an agency that does not understand that when a nonhazardous material is shipped
materials as we would with any other hazardous materials within the same shipment. This agency will not accept
with other hazardous materials, my company was under no obligation to include a listing of nonhazardous
within the CFR 49. They require some proof on our part that this is more than an assumption of the rules.
for an answer that our assertion regarding nonhazardous materials may be merely implied by lack of instruction
nonhazardous materials in shipping documentation as one would for hazardous materials? This would be greatly
Can your department please provide for me some sort of verification that a company is not required to list
appreciated!
In addition - more out of curiosity than necessity on my pait - it was my experience with shipping companies that
when I would list all the various chemicals (both hazardous and ronhazardous) on the shipper bill of lading, we
would invariablv have our shipment halted or returned. The reason was that shipping personnel are not very
typically get a call from the shipper asking why we did not include the DOT and UN information for the other
familiar with chemicals and they all of them sound dangerous and hazardous to the uninformed. We would
chemicals (the honhazardous ones). Only after explaining the reason to the shipper would our shipments
avoid the problem. I do not know if you can comment on this as well, but is DOT aware of this kind of problem
continue. It had been suggested to us by shippers to just leave off the nonhazardous materials in the future to
and, in part, agree with this practice? I would hope you do. It would further help my situation.
Very Truly Yours,
220 Carolwood Drive
Mr. Hobart Huson
Tel: 210-340-5183
San Antonio, TX 78213
email: husons@earthlink.net
Former Business:
1920 Treble Dive, Suite J1
Humble, TX 78213
12/6/02
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