# Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 04-0207
- **title:** Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2004-09-27
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 04-0207 response to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. concerning 172.201, 177.817.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0207.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0207.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0207
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040207.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Depanment
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Research and
SEP 27 2004
Washington, D.C. 20590
Administration
Special Programs
Ms. Genette Fields-Smith
Air Products and Chemicals,
Inc.
Ref. No. 04-0207
7201 Hamilton Boulevard
Allentown,
PA 18195-1501
Dear Ms.
Fields-Smith:
This is in response to your September 3, 2004 letter requesting
clarification of
SS 172.201 and 177.817 (e) of the Hazardous Materials
the shipping paper requirements contained in
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask
if you may use on-board vehicle computing devices to maintain
electronic versions of shipping papers, in place of hard copies
of shipping papers, while in transit.
The answer is no. Electronic versions of the shipping papers,
including those in devices that allow viewing on a computer
screen or printing of a paper copy, are not acceptable as
shipping papers while in transportation. When in transportation,
a shipping paper must be legible and printed (manually or
mechanically) in English (§ 172.201 (a) (2)).
I hope this information is helpful. If you have further
questions, please do not hesitate to contact this office.
Sincerely,
Trikes
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief,
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office
of Hazardous Materials Standards
$172.201
$177.817(e)2)
040207

<<<PAGE 2>>>

95100/
BAH
$/72.201
PRODUCIS E:
$ 177.817 (e)z)
Air Products and Chemicals, inc.
Allentown, PA 18195-1501
7201 Hamilton Boulevard
Shipping Papers
Telephone (610) 481-4911
04-0207
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Edward T. Mazullo, Director
US DOT/RSPA (DHM-10)
400 7 Street SW
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Request for Written Interpretation Regarding Shipping Paper Preparation and
Accessibility - 49 CFR 172.201 and 177.817(e)(2)
Dear Mr. Mazullo:
Currently, Air Products and Chemicals' commercial motor vehicle operators use automatic
on-board computing devices to satisfy 49 CFR requirements. A new generation of the
following capabilities:
device is under construction and if permitted by the regulation, the device would have the
a. Display required shipping paper information as listed in 172.201;
c. Within the drivers immediate reach while he is restrained by the lap belt;
b. Readily available and recognizable in the event of an accident or inspection;
•. Placed on the driver's seat in the vehicle when the driver is not at the vehicle's
d. Readily visible to a person entering the driver compartment; and
Are companies prohibited from using an automatic on-board computing device (in lieu of the
hard copy shipping paper) when meeting the requirements of 172.201 and 177.817(e)(2)?
interpretation is necessary and greatly appreciated. You may contact me at 610.481.7754 if
As project completion quickly approaches, your expeditious response for a written
you have questions.
Respectfully,
Benette trades Smith
Genette Fields-Smith
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc
Regulatory Specialist
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