{"operation":"document","citation":"05-0095","title":"Ropak Packaging, West Division — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2005-11-25","effective_on":null,"summary":"05-0095 response to Ropak Packaging, West Division concerning 178.601.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0095.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0095.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0095","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050095.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nPipeline and\nHazardous Materials Safety\nVOV 25 2009\nAdministratior\nMr. Terry Iker\nReference No. 05-0095\nRopak Packaging, West Division\nManager, Technical Services\n14585 Industry Circle\nLa Mirada, CA 90638\nDear Mr. Iker:\nThis is in response to your letter asking for clarification of periodic packaging resting\nunder the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically,\nyou ask if non-bulk packagings selected at random by the manufacturer for periodic\nretesting must be less than one year old.\nThe periodic retest requirements prescribed in § 178.601(c)(2), (e), and (f) do not specify\nthe age of the non-bulk packagings to be tested. They are designed to serve as a quality\ncontrol measure to ensure that all non-bulk, hazardous materials packagings\nmanufactured since the last successful design qualification test or periodic retest, as\napplicable, are capable of meeting the appropriate UN performance standards. This can\nonly be successfully demonstrated if the packagings sel cted for testing are those\nmanufactured since the last successful performance test for that design by that\nmanufacturer. Therefore, after the design qualification tests required under\n§ 178.601(c)(1) are successfully completed for each new or different packaging at the\nstart of production, subsequent productions of the approved packaging design must be\nperiodically retested as prescribed in § 178.601(c)(2), (e), and (f). As stated in\n§ 178.601(e), a single or composite packaging must be periodically retested once every\n12 months, and a combination packaging must be periodically retested once every 24\nmonths. We believe this testing frequency and method . e sufficient to ensure that all\nUN packagings are capable of passing the prescribed tests. Please note that a test report\nnust be completed for each packaging design qualification test and each periodic retes\nis prescribed in § 178.601(1)\nI hope this information is helpful.\nSincerely,\ntotte z. Mithel\nHattie L. Mitchell, Chief\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standard:\nRegulatory Review and Reinventior\n178.601 C)e)f)\n050095\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nLON\nEdmonson\nRA\nC\nRopak Packaging\nTestring\n14585 Industry Circle, La Mirada, California 90638\nWest Division\n05-0095\nTel: (714) 522-6891\nFax: (714) 522-4531\nISO 9002 Certified Quality System\nMarch 10, 2005\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA\n400 7* Street S-W\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nWashington DC, 20590\nAttn: Mr. Edward Mazzullo\nwere older than one year old. Section 178.601 (c), (e) and (f).\nRef: Letter of Interpretation - Samples used for Periodic Retest of a single package,\nDear Mr. Mazzullo\nIs there a requirement for random samples submitted for Periodic Retesting of a\nsingle package, to be of a certain age? e.g. samples must have been manufactured in\nthe preceding year leading up to the renewal of the Periodic Retest.\nSection 178.601 (c), (e) and (f) does not appear to specify that random samples submitted for\ninterval. However, there is a requirement that the subject samples must be capable of passing\nPeriodic Retest must have been manufactured during the year of the most recent Periodic Retest\nthe original design qualification tests.\nPlease provide an \"official\" interpretation for my records on this issue. If you have any additional\nquestions, please feel free to contact me at (714) 522-6891, xt 314.\nSincerely\nVery kn\nTerry Iker\nRopak Packaging\nManager, Technical Services","truncated":false,"body_characters":3497}