# DOT Hazardous Materials Division — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 05-0020
- **title:** DOT Hazardous Materials Division — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-02-10
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 05-0020 response to DOT Hazardous Materials Division concerning 172.800.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0020.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0020.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0020
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050020.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

.
5 .
Memorandum
of Transportation
U.S. Department
Special Programs
Research and
Administration
Date:
FEB 10 2005
Reply to: Ref. No. 05-0020
Subject: INFORMATION: Request for Interpretation
Hothez Michel
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Hazardous Materials Safety
To:
William Quade
Chief, Hazardous Materials Division, MC-ECH
EMCSA
This responds to your e-mail message réquesting confirmation of the security plan requirements in
§ 172.800. It is your understanding that a carrier with multiple terminals in a wide array of settings
ranging from rural to urban, mountainous to plains, close to densely populated cities to remote
locations, must develop a separate security plan for each location.
Your understanding is correct. A key component of a security plan is an assessment of possible
transportation security risks for shipments of certain hazardous materials. These risks will vary
from location to another. While the carrier may be able to develop some common elements in the
security plan that apply to all locations, different locations and circumstances will necessitate
different security measures; hence, each location must develop a security plan that addresses the
vulnerabilities in that particular location.
I trust this satisfies your request.
•

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Message
Page 1 of 1
Gorsky, Susan
From:
Quade, William [william.quade@fmcsa.dot.gov]
Corbin
Sent:
Friday, January 14, 2005 2:19 PM
To:
Gorsky, Susan <RSPA>
$172.800
Subject: Request for Interpretation
Security Plans
Susan,
05-0020
terminals are in a wide variety of settings from rural to urban, from mountainous to plains, close to big cities and
FMCSA recently completed a compliance review on a carrier that has over 100 terminals across the country. The
perform an assessment of security risks and develop a security plan that addresses the vulnerabilities
distant from any major population center. It is our understanding 172.800 would require each seperate location to
discovered. Can you please confirm this view?
Thanks,
BQ
1/25/2005

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Message
Page 1 of1
Gorsky, Susan
From:
Quade, William [william.quade@fmcsa.dot.gov]
Corbin
Sent:
Friday, January 14, 2005 2:19 PM
To:
Gorsky, Susan <RSPA>
$172.800
Subject: Request for Interpretation
•
securityPlan
Susan,
15-6020
terminals are in a wide variety of settings from rural to urban, from mountainous to plains, close to big cities and
FMCSA recently completed a compliance review on a carrier that has over 100 terminals across the country. The
perform an assessment of security risks and develop a security plan that addresses the vulnerabilities
distant from any major population center. It is our understanding 172.800 would require each seperate location to
Thanks,
BQ
1/25/2005

<<<PAGE 4>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Research and
Washington, D.C. 20590
Special Programs
Administration
NOV 20 2003
Mr. Kraig R. Naasz
President
The Fertilizer Institute
820 First Street, N.E., Suite 430
Washington, D.C. 20002
Dear Mr. Naasz:
This responds to an emailed inquiry from your organization concerning the applicability of the
security plan requirements in Subpart 1 of Part 172 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to agricultural retailers. Specifically, you ask whether an
agricultural retailer is required to verify that a customer has a security plan.
The security plan requirements in Subpart I of Part 172 apply to persons who offer for
transportation or transport certain hazardous materials in commerce. An agricultural retailer
who sells agricultural products such as fertilizer or pesticides to a farmer is an offeror for
purposes of the HMR and, thus, must develop and implement a security plan if it sells
hazardous materials in the types and amounts listed in § 172.800(b). In accordance with
security.
§ 172.802, the security plan must address personnel security, unauthorized access, and en route
The regulations do not require an agricultural retailer to verify that its customers have a security
plan nor do the regulations require the retailer to collect or review customer security plans.
However, the retailer's security plan should indicate the measures it has taken to address en
route security. For example, an agricultural retailer may want to suggest to his customers that
they take certain precautions while transporting the hazardous materials from the retailer's
facility to the customer's facility. Such precautions could include: (1) to the extent practical,
minimizing transit time by going directly from the retailer to the destination; (2) to the extent
practical, preventing unauthorized persons from gaining access to the shipment by monitoring
the shipment during stops, locking the shipment inside the transport vehicle, securing the
shipment to the transport vehicle, and/or securing closures on the container(s) or package(s);
and (3) reporting suspicious incidents or events to local law enforcement officials and/or the
Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Research and Special Programs Administration has developed a fact sheet and a sample
security plan (copies enclosed) to assist farmers to comply with the security plan requirements
in Subpart I of Part 172. To address security issues associated with the transportation of

<<<PAGE 5>>>

•
products to the customer's facility, an agricultural retailer may want to provide the customer
with copies of the fact sheet and the sample security plan.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to
contact this office.
Sincerely,
Robert A. McGuire
Associate Administrator for Hazardous
Materials Safety
Enclosures

<<<PAGE 6>>>

Gorsky, Susan
Sent:
From:
Pam Guffain [PGuffain@tfi.org]
Subject:
To:
Monday, November 17, 2003 10:14 AM
Gorsky, Susan
Per our discussion
Flag Status:
Follow Up Flag:
For Your Information
Flagged
Dear Susan,
›lans and that there is no "regulatory requirement" that retail dealers check, verify,
I would appreciate an official letter of interpretation regarding verification of securiti
collect, or anything else, farmer plans."
dealers can simply hand their customer the DOT documents (fact sheet, generic plan, etc.)
You might suggest in the letter that retail
and suggest that if they don't have a plan that they may want to consider the DOT
documents.
since there isn't a regulatory requirement DOT would not use this in an enforcement).
It might also be helpful to mention something about legal liability (like
President, The
Does this make sense? I would like to have the letter addressed to Kraig R. Naasz,
20002.
Fertilizer Institute, 820 First Street, N.E., Suite 430, Washington, D.C.
If you can email or fax it that would be wonderful.
Thanks,
Pam
Director, Government Relations
Pam Guffain
The Fertilizer Institute
820 First Street, N.E., Suite 430
202-515-2704 (direct)
Washington, D.C. 20002
202-257-3043 (cell)
202-962-0577 (fax)
From: Alicia Fitzpatrick [mailto:alicia@aradc.oxg]
-----Original Message--
Sent: Friday, November 14, 2003 4:24 PM
Subject: ARA MEMBER ALERT
«DOT HAZMAT SECURITY brochure. pdf>>
«DOT Sample Farmer Security Plan.doc>>
«DOT Ag Security Flyer.pdt>>
<...OLE_Obj...» <..OLE_Obj...»
MEMBERSHIP ALERT!
RELEASE
Contact:
FOR IMMEDIATE
2003
Alicia Fitzpatrick
202-457-0825
November 14,
Growers Now Need a Security Plan
New DOT HAZMAT Transportation Rule:
1

<<<PAGE 7>>>

Transportation (DOT) has implemented new Hazmat restrictions that were
As ARA has consistently reported to our members, the Department of
regulations took effect on September 25, 2003.
included in a final rule issued earlier this year (HM 232). The new DOT
growers who transport HAZMAT materials above certain weight and volume
According to DOT officials,
criteria will now need a security plan.
required to place placards on their vehicles depending on the types and
In addition, growers may be
documents.)
quantities of materials they are transporting. (See attached DOT
The interpretation of this rule covers transportation and shipping of Hazmat
to include many pesticides and some common fertilizers that most retailers
with TIH hazard) or ammonium nitrate fertilizer (Division 5.1) that is more
For example a farmer transporting anhydrous anmonia (Division 2.2
than 119 gallons in a single container OR more than 1,000 pounds in multiple
containers in a single shipment must have a security plan and placard their
pesticides and fertilizers that are designated as HAZMAT, review this new
In an exercise of caution, ARA strongly suggests that retailers of
implications.
rule in its entirely and consult with local counsel regarding the state law
procedures related to grower compliance with the new rule and potential
Some issues to consider include potential establishment of
liability related for failure to institute procedures.
and DOTis website for additional information.
http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubtrain/Security8200820&820A.pdf>.
If you have further questions call ARA at 202-457-0864.
The National Voice of the Ag Retailer
2

<<<PAGE 8>>>

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS OR FARMERS, RANCHERS,
AND PRODUCTION AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS
If you do not ship or transpoltazardous
do not need a security plan. Also, if suppliers
materials in amounts that require placards you
deliver hazardous materials to your operation,
Photos courlesy al USON NECS
it is their responsibility to have a plan.
hazardous materials in quantities that require placards must now develop and implement
Beginning September 25, 200agricultural producers who ship or transport certain
If the security plan requirement applies
your operation, the plan must include measures
a transportation security plan. This new Federal Department of Transportation rule affects
to address personnel, unauthorized access,
transportation of hazardous materials needed to support commercial activities like farming
and en route transportation issues.
and ranching. Its aim is to deter terrorist and other illegal acts while at the same time
Personnel Securitylf you use employees
limiting a producer's exposure to liability in the event that an illegal act occurs.
to pick up and transport placarded hazardous
security plan must include measures to confim
materials from your supplier to your farm, your
For many years diamond-shaped signs, called placarise been required on vehicles
information provided by the employee on his/
,transporting certain types and quäntities of hazardous materials. Placards provide first-on-
her job application or resume. Note that this
scene emergency responders with the information: necessary to quickly assess an accident
requirement only applies to employees hired
situation from a distance; reducing: the possibility of someone approaching. the accident site
after September 25, 2003, who are involved
without wearing protective clothing or equipment. Fire fighters, police, and other responders
in the actual shipment or transportation of the
Placards indicate to emergency responders how to safely and appropriafely handle the
canthus avoid unnecessary exposure to a dangerous, perhaps life-threatening, material.
materials covered by the plan.
Unauthorized AccessYour security plan
Examples of materials for which a pläcard isrequired include pesticides; ferlizers such as
accident, mitigate the threat of environmental damage, and conduct life-saving operations.
must include measures to protect against
unauthorized access by using locks or
anhydrous ammonia or ammonium nitrate; fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and propare; and
physical/visual observation. For example, if
explosives such aş dynamite and detonators.
you stop on the way back to your farm for a
snack or a meal, you should keep your vehicle
The following chart lists examples of the types and quantities of hazardous
the vehicle.
in sight and/or lock or secure the material in
materials that require a placard and, thus, a transportation security plan.
Security En RouteYour security plan must
Material
Quanity
Placard
include measures to ensure the security of the
materials between the time you pick them up
Dynamite
and the time you arrive at your farm. In this
(Division 1.1 explosive)
Any Amount
would be to minimize the time that the shipment
case, the most effective security measure
Detonators
to your farm.
is in transit by going directly from your supplier
(Division 1.4 explosive)
in a single shipment
More than 1,000 Ibs
Remember:
• Your plan can be tailored to your operation.
(Division 2.1 material)
Propane
on file at State or Federal DOT offices.
•Your plan will not be collected by or kept
Propane
ELZINGELE
• Your plan will be enforced by State or
Anhydrous ammonia
More than 119 gallons
Federal DOT as part of the general
(Division 2.2 with TIH hazard)
in a single container
Anhydrous
enforcement program for the HAZMAT carrier
Ammonia
and shipper community but not as part of any
Gasoline
(Class 3)
OR
roadside stop inspections.
Gasoline
FAKHSAPLE
You may have a plan in place currently that
Pesticides/herbicides that
More that 1,000
meets these requirements, such as one drawn
bear a DOT poison label
pounds
up in accordance with agribusiness guidelines
(Division 6.1)
in multiple containers
POISON
Pesticides/
Herbicides
issued by The Fertilizer Institute, the
in a single shipment
Agricultural Retailers Association, CropLife
Ammonium nitrate fertilizer
Ammonium
America, or other industry groups or
(Division 5.1)
Nitrate
Ferülizer
OXTORIE
and security measures for pesticides in
associations, or a plan implementing safety
accordance with Environmental Protection
Diesel fuel
Agency regulations.
(Class 3)
More than 119 gallons
in a single container
RAMBLE
Research and Speciol Progroms
Administration
For further informațion, contact the HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INFORMATION CENTER at 1 (800) HMR-4$
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