# PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 04-0235
- **title:** PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-01-14
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 04-0235 response to PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc. concerning 172.202.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0235.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0235.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0235
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040235.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
JAN 1 4 2005
Mr. Christopher A. McCabe
Ref. No.: 04-0235
Safety Director
PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc.
115 Angels Way
Winchester, VA 22603
Dear Mr. McCabe:
This responds to your letter dated October 5, 2004, regarding the requirements for entering the
total quantity for explosives on a shipping paper in accordance with the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). A shipping paper you currently use was enclosed
for our review.
PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc. (PRK) has between five and 7 blasters picking up explosives from
its explosive storage area and transporting them to various job sites, daily. The blasters carry
between one and 500 blasting caps. PRK accounts for these blasting caps by "piece" on the
shipping paper. Recently, you have been made aware that for explosives the shipping paper must
now contain the "net explosive mass."
You suggest that the unit of measurement used should be "piece" instead of "net explosive mass."
Your concern is that an inspector may find that many of the blaster tabulations are incorrect and
leave the company open to numerous violations and enforcement actions. Specifically, you ask if
the total quantity of the blasting caps entered by "piece."
you may continue to use the enclosed shipping paper for your company's daily shipments, with
The answer is no. In accordance with §172.202(a)(5)(i), for a Class 1 (explosive) material, such
as "Detonator Assemblies, non-electric, 1.4B, UN0361, II," the quantity for these blasting caps
must be shown on the shipping paper as "net explosive mass." Thus, the shipping paper you
used For an else that i am rice such a basting ape is are caminatom tat the net
mass of the article must be used to satisfy the total quantity requirement in 172.202(a)(5)(i).
142-202(900
040235

<<<PAGE 2>>>

For you information, on December 20, 2004, a final rule was published in the Federal Register
(69 FR 76044; Docket HM-215G) which clarified the shipping paper requirements in
§172.202(a)(5)(i) of the HMR. Thus, for an explosive that is an article, the entry on the shipping
paper must be the net mass of the explosive article or the explosive substance contained in the
article similar to a provision in the United Nations Model Regulations on the Transport of
Dangerous Goods.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely:
John A Caled Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

FROM : PRK DRILLING & BLASTING
FAX NO.
: 15408889998
Oct.
06 2004 07:50AM P1
Enarum
§172.202 (a5)11
Shipping Papers
PRK DRILLING & BLASTING, INC.
TIS ANGELS WAY WINCHESTER, VA 22603(540)888-45 PH PH FAX
04-0235
October 5, 2004
Edward Mazzullo, Director
USDOT / RSPA (DHM-10)
Office of IIAZMAT Standards
400 7' Street West
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
Re: Request of Letter of Interpretation
Sir,
My name is Christopher A. McCabe. I am the safety director of PRK Drilling & Blasting based
out of Winchester Virginia. We have between 5 and 7 blasters picking up explosives from our
explosive storage area and then traveling to various jobsites daily. The blasters carry between 1
and 500 blasting caps.
1 am requesting a letter of interpretation on CFR49 172.202.A.5.j. We currently account for
blasting caps by "piece" on our shipping paper. I have been told by RSPA that you must now list
and seems to be appropriate for blasting caps (detonators) and leadline.
Complying with this requirement will provide for any inspector to find many of the blaster
tabulations to be incorrect. This leaves the company open for numerous violations and
enforcement actions. As a practical matter, it would seem easier to notate that each of our
eliminate the individual "explosive mass" listing
transports are under 1½ Ibs of "explosive mass" in blasting caps and leadline. This would
May we continue to use the attached shipping paper for our daily transports?
Thank You,
topher A. McCabe
Safety Director / PRK Drilling & Blasting

<<<PAGE 4>>>

StartTime
Date:
Explosives Shipping Paper
Total Time Worked
End Time
PRK Drilling & Blasting, Inc.
Virginia Division
(540)888-4959
Truck#:
Driver:
Hazardous Materials -- Certificate of Registration No. 061300 013 014IK Issued: 06/03/03Exp: 06/06
Shipped
#Units
Item Shipped
Item Returned
Returned
NEM
/ Pentex
Boosters, 1.1D, UN0042, II ERG page 112
Pentex
NEM
Ibs. Power Ex Plus
EXPLOSIVE, BLASTING, TYPE E, 1.1D, UNO241, II ERG Guide 112
Ibs.
ibs.
Ibs.
EXPLOSIVE, BLASTING, TYPE A, 1.1D, UN0081, IT ERG Guide 112
Ibs.
Ibs. Power Ditch
Power Frac
Power Frac
Power Ditch
Ibs.
Ibs.
Ibs.
EXPLOSIVE, BLASTING, TYPE E, 1.5D, UN0332, II ERG Guide 112
Apex Ultra
Apex Ultra
Ibs.
Explosive, Blasting Type B. (WR Anfo), 1.5D, UN0331, II w/DOT-E-11156
Ammonium Nitrate-Fuel Oil Mixture(contains only prilled ammonium nitrate and fuel oil) 1.5D,
Ibs
NA0331, II DOT-E-11156
Articles, Explosive N.O.S. (contains HMX & Aluminum Powder), 1.4S,UN0349, II Leadline ERG Guide 114
NEM-
Detonator Assembles, Non-Electric, 1.48, UN0361, I. AI Caps ENGGuide TEA Net Explosive MPe
NEM=
pcs
• Handidets
' Handidets
NEM=
pes
NEM-
pcS
' Handidets
Handidets
NEM=
pcs
NEM-
pes
' Handidets
' Handidets
NEM=
pes
NEM-
pes
' Handidets
Handidets
TeM-
pes
Detonator Assemblies, Non-Electric, 1.4S, UN0500, II, (Surfuce Delays )ERC Guide 114
NEM=
pcs
NEM-
pcs
NEM=
pcs
NEM-"
pes
NEM Chart: Multiply pleces shipped by chart weish re et NEM * NEM-Net Explosive Mass
xel Connectade
= 0027 el
Exel T&D
.=.0012 ca.
Boosters (#12) = .75 ca.
Shipping Point: Front Royal Magazine Site. List desination and route listed be bin:
= .0000107 per foot
The oring oathis form, withour NEM roferences, was aproved by Re sad Brenn ia Mor Canier Saley 202-36 6121 0n
5-22-03. NEM references added in compliance with CFR49 |72.202.A.S.i. on 10/8/04
***EMERGENCY PHONE (S40)888-4979***
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