{"operation":"document","citation":"02-0321","title":"VA Medical Center — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2003-03-19","effective_on":null,"summary":"02-0321 response to VA Medical Center concerning 171.8.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0321.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0321.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0321","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020321.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nJ.S. Department\nof Transportation\nMAR 19 200\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nResearch and\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nSpecial Programs\nAdministration\nMs. Diane Kroll\nVA Medical Center\nIH/Safety Manager\nRef. No.: 02-0321\n4301 gth Street North\nSt. Cloud, MN 56303\nDear Ms. Kroll:\nThis is in response to your letter and our March 11, 2003 telephone conversation concerning the\napplicability of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to certain\nhazardous materials transported by the Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Specifically, you\ninquired whether the HMR apply to the transport of small quantities of hazardous materials on\nthe same government vehicle being used to transport patients receiving health care between the\nVeteran Affairs Medical Center's facilities. You state the hazardous materials are used for\ngovernmental purposes.\nThe HMR govern the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce. Shipments of\nhazardous materials transported by a government entity in vehicles operated by government\npersonnel for noncommercial purposes are not \"in commerce\" and, subsequently, are not subject\nto requirements in the HMR. The Federal hazardous materials transportation law, at 49 U.S.C.\n§ 5102(9), and the HMR, at § 171.8, define a \"person\" to whom the regulations prescribed under\n§ 5103(a)(1) apply. However, note that a commercial company contracted by a government\nentity to transport hazardous materials would be subject to the HMR; see § 171.1(b).\nI hope this satisfies you inquiry. Should you have any further questions, please contact this\noffice.\nSincerely,\nHotte 2. Mithell\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n111.\"\n020321\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nEdmonson\n$173.4\nmemorandum\n3173.6\nSmall Quantities/MOT\n02-0321\nDate:\n12/12/2002\nTo:\ninfocntr@rspa.dot.gov\nFrom:\nDiane Kroll, IH/Safety Mgr.\nRE:\nTransportation of Smail Quantities of Hazardous Material With Patients on VAMC Vehicles\nTo Whom It May Concern:\ntransportation of small quantities of hazardous materials on the same vehicle transporting patients\nPlease provide a written letter of interpretation addressing the following questions regarding the\nbetween Veteran's Affairs Medical Center facilities.\n49 CFR 172.504(c)(1): Exempts placarding for less than 454 Kg (1,001 pounds) of class 3\nBackground:\n49 CFR 173.6, Materials of trade exceptions, paragraphs (a)(i) and (ii): list exceptions for\n(per Table 2).\niss 3 material.\nOur organizational activities are in the provision of health care to the Veteran population.\nin delivering this service of health care the organization provides courtesy transportation\nbetween Veteran facilities.\nTransport of patients is not in commerce.\n• The vehicle utilized to transport patients to appointments between organizational facilities\nWe are not in the business of commercial transportation.\nrange from a minivan to a 16-passenger van to a 32-passenger.capacity Blue Bird bus.\n1. Are we allowed under the Materials of Trade exemption, 49 CFR 173.6(a)(i) and (il) to\nQUESTIONS:\nIf not, PLEASE PROVIDE REFERENCE for your response, e.g. Federal standard, MN Rule,\ntransport quantities of class 3, group iI & Ill, per this standard on these vehicles?\nMN Statute, letter of interpretation, etc.\n2. Are there requirements (e.g. quantity limitations, etc.) for the transportation of oxygen?\n• PLEASE PROVIDE REFERENCE for your response, c.g. Federal standard, MN Rule, MN\nSome of our patients are transported with oxygen (E tanks) connected to them.\nStatute, letter of interpretation, etc.\n3. Are there requirements for the carrying of portable fire extinguishers (dry chemical, class\n• PLEASE PROVDE REFERENCE for your response, e.g. Federal standard, MN Rule, MN\nABC) on these vehicies?\nStatute, letter of interpretation, etc.\n12/12/2002\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n•\nInteroffice Memo: Transportation of Patients & Small Quantities of Hazardous Material\nPLEASE PROVIDE REFERENCE for your response, c.g. Federal standard, MN Rule, MN\n4. Is the \"Minnesota Commercial Driver's Manual\" applicable to our operations? If so, how?\nStatute, letter of interpretation, etc.\nMatierials Specialist with the Minnesota Department of transportation.\nFor your information 1 have copied below the response I received from Michacl Ritchie, Hazardous\nMs. Kroll,\nThank you for your letter, which has been forwarded to me\nfor response.\nfound in 49 CFR Part 171 through Part 199, have been\nThe federal hazardous material transportation regulations\nThe USDOT has complete jurisdiction over transport of\nadopted by the State of Minnesota in Minn. Stat. 221.033.\nhazardous materials\ncommerce, and applicibility of those regulations to\nin both interstate and intrastate\n220\"\ngovernment agencies is determined by the USDOT.\nYour questions #1 and. #2; should be addressed to the USDOT\n(800) 467-4922, option#1,\nof Hazardous Materials Safety. You can\nduring normal business hours.\nreach them at\nThese are federal regulations, and must be interpreted by\nthat federal agency.\nYour question # 3 concerns Motor Carrier Safety\nfederal MCSR also apply to those \"persons\" in commerce, and\nRegulations, not hazardous materials regulations. The\nif your vans are government vehicles driven by government\nFederal Motor Carrier Safety Administration office in\nemployees,\nthey may not be in commerce. Please contact the\nSt. Paul, at (651) 291-6150 for determination of\napplicibility of these rules.\nYour question #4 concerning the Minnesota Commercial\nDepartment of Public Safety, Driver and Vehicles Services\nDrivers Manual. This book is a publication of the Minnesota\nDivision. As stated in the \"Public Safety Message\" found at\na war standid to are is a proper ten gende\nPlease contact me. If you need to discuss these iasues\nMichael Ritchie\nHazardous Materials Specialist\n12/12/2002\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nInteroffice Memo: Transportation of Patients & Small Quantities of Hazardous Material\nMinnesota Department of Transportation\noffice of Motor Carrier Services\nMendota Heights, MN 55120\n1110 Centre Pointe Curve\nThank you.\nIH/Safety Mgr.\nDiane Kroll\nVA Medical Center\nSt. Cloud, MN 56303\n4801 8* Street North\nf: 320-255-6343\np: 320-255-6423\ne: diane.kroll@med.va.gov\nDLK:\n12/12/2002","truncated":false,"body_characters":6214}