{"operation":"document","citation":"04-0042","title":"Ocenco Incorporated — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2004-05-26","effective_on":null,"summary":"04-0042 response to Ocenco Incorporated concerning 173.29.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0042.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0042.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0042","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040042.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nSpecial Programs\nResearch and\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nAdministration\nMAY 26 2004\nMr. Michael B. Kay\nOcenco Incorporated\nRef. No. 04-0042\nLakeView Corporate Park\n10225 82nd Avenue\nPleasant Prairie, WI 53158-5801\nDear Mr. Kay:\nThis is in response to your February 26, 2004, letter regarding\nCFR Parts 171-180) to a used breathing apparatus.\nthe applicability the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49\ninformation provided,\neach apparatus contains a cylinder of\nBased on the\ncompressed oxygen and\nused, the pressure of the oxygen is less than 40 psia and the\na scrubber with lithium hydroxide.\nOnce\nscrubber is filled with non-hazardous material.\nyou ask if your package containing the described used breathing\nSpecifically,\nand therefore not subject to the HMR.\napparatus would be considered empty as specified in $ 173.29(b)\ncontaining non-pressurized oxygen and a non-hazardous material\nThe answer is yes:\nYour package of a used breathing apparatus\nwould be considered empty as specified in § 173.29 (b).\nTherefore, it is not subject to the HMR.\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nStandards Development\n040042\n173.29\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nLakeView Corporate Park\nocenco\n10225 82nd Avenue\nI CORP\nPleasant Prairie, WI\n53158-5801\nU.S.A.\nPhone: (262) 947-9000\nFebruary 26, 2004\nBAH\nFax: (262) 947-9020\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\n3173.29\nU.S. DOT/RSPA (DHM-10)\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nEmpty Packagings\n400 7th Street S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\n04-0048\nDear Mr. Mazullo,\nOcenco Incorporated requests DOT interpretation of 49CFR, 173.29 (b) in regards to\ntransporting used breathing apparatus as non-hazardous material.\nWe manufacture an emergency escape breathing apparatus containing a cylinder of\n9, Lifesaving Appliance, not self-inflating, UN3072. This breathing apparatus is used\ncompressed oxygen and a lithium hydroxide scrubber, and ship the apparatus as a Class\npredominately onboard naval and commercial vessels:\nThe apparatus are routinely used by our customers for training exercises and then\nreturned to Ocenco for refurbishment; the apparatus cannot.be cleaned and refilled by\nand the lithium hydroxide granules have been converted to lithium carbonate by the users\nthe user. Once the apparatus is used, the oxygen cylinder pressure is reduced to zero\nexhaled breath. Residual lithium hydroxide is contained inside a shell of lithium\n(b) (iii) in that the packaging (the scrubber) is refilled with non-hazardous lithium\nIt is our position that the used breathing apparatus meet the conditions of section 173.29\nand therefore is not subject to the Hazardous Materials Regulations. This position is\ncarbonate to the extent that the remaining lithium hydroxide no longer poses a hazard,\nsupported by the construction of the packaging that further mitigates potential hazards.\nThe scrubbing material is secured in a metal container that cannot be opened without\ndestroying the apparatus. The metal container is sealed in a ploy bag and packed in a\nfiberboard inner and outer box.\nnot subject to the HMR. I thank you for your time in this matter, and please contact me if\nPlease let me know if your office agrees with our position that these used apparatus are\nyou have any questions.\nmiloky\nMichael B. Kay\nmikekay@ocenco.com\nEngineering Manager\nwww.ocenco.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":3408}