{"operation":"document","citation":"04-0093","title":"Sovereign Specialty Chemicals — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2004-06-03","effective_on":null,"summary":"04-0093 response to Sovereign Specialty Chemicals concerning 173.115, 173.306.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0093.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0093.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0093","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040093.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nResearch and\nAdministration\nSpecial Programs\nJUN\n3 2004\nMr. Kevin W. Johnston, CIH, CSP\nRef. No. 04-0093\nDirector, Health, Safety & Environmental Affairs\nSovereign Specialty Chemicals\n710 Ohio Street\nBuffalo, New York 14203\nDear Mr. Johnston:\nThis responds to your April 6, 2004 letter requesting clarification on the hazard class of your\nproducts under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nSpecifically, you request clarification on the hazard class of your products containing adhesives\nand gas propellants packaged in DOT specification cylinders.\nAccording to your letter, your company manufactures certain adhesives and gas propellants\npackaged in DOT specification cylinders. Because of some confusion within the industry group\nthat supplies such products regarding the appropriate method for determining whether the\nproducts meet the definition of a flammable gas, you are requesting our confirmation on the\nappropriate classification methodology.\nYour questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:\nQ1. Do the aerosol test methods specified in § 173.306(i) only apply to aerosols packaged in\ncontainers not exceeding one liter?\nquantity provisions of § 173.306. If your products do not meet the criteria for shipment as\nAl. Yes. The tests specified in § 173.306(i) are required for aerosols shipped under the limited\nlimited quantities, the tests specified in § 1 73.306(i) may not be used for your products.\nQ2. Does the flammability of the adhesive products packaged in the non-refillable DOT\nspecification 39 cylinders have to be determined using the tests methods specified in § 173.306(i)\nor ASTM E681-85 as referenced in § 173.115(a)?\nA2. The flammability tests specified in § 173.306(i) are required for aerosols shipped under the\nlimited quantity provisions of § 173.306. If your products do not meet the criteria for shipment\nas limited quantities, their flammability may not be determined using the test specified in\n§ 173.306(i). If your products meet the definition specified in § 173.115(a) for Division 2.1,\nFlammable Gas, they must be classified as Division 2.1 materials using ASTM E681-85,\nStandard Test Method for Concentration Limits of Flammability of Chemicals or other\nequivalent method approved by the Associate Administrator.\n173.115\n173.306(1)\n040093\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. Are we correct that the flammability of the adhesive products packaged in DOT\nspecification 4BW cylinders must be determined using ASTM E681-85 as specified in\n§ 173.115(a) unless DOT specifically approves an alternate equivalent test method?\nA3. Yes. The flammability of the adhesive products packaged in DOT specification 4BW\ncylinders must be determined using ASTM E681-85 as specified in § 173.115(a), unless an\nalternate equivalent test method is approved by the Associate Administrator.\nQ4. Has DOT approved any alternate test methods (such as the flame projection test method\nspecified in 16 CFR 1500.45 for consumer products) for flammable gas determinations as\nprovided for in § 173.115(a)? If approval applications are published, will the public have the\nopportunity to comment if a party applied to use an alternate test methods?\nA4. No, there are no approvals applications in our approvals data base applicable to flammable\ngas determinations as provided for in § 173.115(a) such as alternate test methods concerning the\nflame projection test specified in 16 CFR 1500.45 for consumer products. Unlike applications for\nexemptions, which are published in the Federal Register on a monthly basis, applications for\napprovals are not generally published. However, on occasion certain approval applications are\npublished when public comments are requested. In addition, alternate test methods may be\nproposed in a notice of proposed rulemaking with a comment period requesting comments from\nthe regulated community and the public.\nQ5. If an adhesive product tests as non-flammable using the consumer products test method\nspecified in 16 CFR 1500.45 and flammable using one of the DOT-specified test methods, would\nthe results using the DOT-specified test method take precedence and compel the product to be\nclassified as flammable?\nA5. Yes. For transportation of hazardous materials in commerce, the DOT-specified test\nmethods in the HMR would take precedence in classifying the adhesive product as flammable.\nI hope this answers your inquiry.\nSincerely\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nBoothe\n§ 173.115\n3173.306 (i)\nSOVEREIGN\nCompress\nGras\nSPECIALTY CHEMICALS\nKovin V. Joinston, 1H, 834-0093\nDirector, Heath, Safety, Environmental Affairs\nPackaging and Converting\nIndustrial\nConstruction\n710 Ohio Street\nOffice: (716)-856-4910 Ext 288\nBuffalo, New York 14203\nFax:\nwww.sovereignsc.com\n(716)-847-1837\nApril 6, 2004\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: DHM-10\nResearch and Special Programs Administration\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n400 7* Street SW\nWashingtor, DC 20590-0001\nRe:\nClarification of Flammability Determination for Adhesive Products\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\ninterested in the proper classification of these products under the U.S. Department of\nAs a manufacturer and shipper of adhesive products in pressurized containers, we are\nare requesting your confirmation of the appropriate classification methodology.\nProduct Description\nFor your reference, the products in question consist of DOT specification cylinders\nsubstrates.\ndetachable hose and spray gun, which can be used to spray-apply the adhesives to various\nDOT Regulations\nDOT defines a flammable gas as material that is gas at 20 °C or less and 101.2 kPa or\nequivalent method approved by the Associate Administrator. 49 C.F.R. § 173.115(a).\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nPage 2\nDOT defines an aerosol as any non-refillable receptacle containing a gas compressed,\nliquefied, or dissolved under pressure, the sole purpose of which is to expel a nonpoisonous\nliquid paste, or powder and fitted with a self-closing release device that allows the contents to\nbe ejected by the gas. 49 C.F.R. § 171.8. As noted above, some of the adhesive products of\nothers do not appear to fit within this definition because they are packaged in refillable\ninterest satisfy this definition (e.g., those packaged in the Specification 39 cylinders), while\ncontainers (e.g., Specification 4BW cylinders).\ndetermined by the tests specified in 49 C.F.R. § 173.306(i). Section 173.306(i) specifies that\nAccording to 49 C.F.R. 3 173.115(a)(2), the flammability of aerosols is to be\nan aerosol is flammable if a positive result is obtained using any of the following three\nthe language in section 173.115(a)(2) nor the definition of aerosol in section 171.8 reference\ni is not year of her lie est metrol species in 4C. F.. 5173306s to lim or munities,\nused for aerosols in containers exceeding one liter capacity.\nQuestions\n1. Do the aerosol test methods specified in 49 C.F.R. § 173.306(i) only apply to aerosols\npackaged in containers not exceeding one liter?\n2. Must the flammability of the adhesive products packaged in the non-refillable\nSpecification 39 cylinders be determined using:\na. the aerosol test methods described in 49 C.F.R. § 173.306(i); or\nb. ASTM E681-85 as referenced in 49 C.F.R. § 173.115(a)?\n3. Are we correct that the flammability of the adhesive products packaged in the\nSpecification 4B W cylinders must be determined using ASTM E681-85 as specified in\n49 C.F.R. $ 173.115(a) (unless DOT specifically approves an alternate equivalent test\nmethod)?\n4. Has DOT approved any alternate test methods (such as the flame projection test method\nleterminations as provided for in 49 C.F.R. § 173.115(a)\npecified in 16 C.F.R. § 1500.45 for consumer products) for flammable ga:\nWe understand that DOT normally does not publish applications for approvals.\nWould DOT provide an opportunity for public comment if a party applied to use\nan alternate test method such as the consumer products method referenced abov\nfor flammability determinations\n5. If an adhesive product tests as non-flammable using the consumer products test method\nnethods, would the results using the DOT-specified test method take precedence an\nspecified in 16 C.F.R. § 1500.45 and flammable using one of the DOT-specified tes\ncompel the product to be classified as flammable?\nSovereign Specialty Chemicals, Inc.\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nPage 3\nWe thank you for your assistance in clarifying these matters.\nVery truly yours,\nSovereign Specialty Chemicals Inc.\nburt pisto\nDirector, Health, Safety & Environmental Affairs\nKevin W. Sohnston, CIH, CSP\nSoverelgn Specialty Chemicals, Inc.","truncated":false,"body_characters":8700}