{"operation":"document","citation":"05-0255","title":"Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2005-12-01","effective_on":null,"summary":"05-0255 response to Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc. concerning 171.8, 172.202.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0255.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0255.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0255","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050255.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nf Transportation\n.S. Departmen\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDEC\n1 2005\nMs. Nancy Aird\nReference No.: 05-0255\nP. O. Box 4129\nTotem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc.\nFederal Way, WA 98063-4129\nDear Ms. Aird:\nThis responds to your letter concerning the use of certain abbreviations in the shipping paper\ndescription of a hazardous material under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49\nCFR Parts 171-180).\nYour questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:\nQ1. Are the only allowed definitions and abbreviations found in § 171.8?\nAl. The answer is no. In addition to § 171.8, definitions and abbreviations are found\nthroughout the HMR. For example, abbreviations that may be used in a shipping paper\ndescription are found in Subpart B of Part 172 of the HMR.\nQ2. May the following commonly recognized words and abbreviations be used to describe the\ntype of packing on a shipping paper or dangerous cargo manifest for vessel transportation?\nBarrel - bbl, can - cn, case - cs, carton -ctn, package - pkg, pail or tote.\nA2. Neither the HMR nor the IMDG Code specify terminology or criteria to describe the type\nor kind of packaging; hence, the terms are acceptable. Section 172.202 (a) (5) of the HMR\n171.8\n172.202(a)5)\n050255\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. Section 171.8 does not define the term \"barrel.\" May \"barrel\" be used to describe a\npackaging type?\nA3. Yes. See A2. Also, the term \"wooden barrel\" is defined in § 171.8 of the HMR.\nI trust this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nHathe 2. Mitchel\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nT\nTOTEM OCEAN TRAILER EXPRESS, INC.\nCorbin\nPO Box 4129\n§172.201 (a)3)\nFederal Way, WA 98063-4129\n$172:202 (a)l)\nTel 253.449.8100\n$ 176-30 (a)4\nFax 253.449.8225\nOctober 03, 2005\nwww.totemocean.com\nShipping Papers\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\n05-0265\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n400 7* Street S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nSUBJECT: LETTER OF INTERPRETATION\nTotem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE) is a domestic maritime\ntrailership shipping company out of Tacoma, WA and Anchorage, AK.\nTOTE is desirous of clarification on the correct abbreviations allowed for\npackage types as prescribed by the following CFR 49 sections:\nCFR 49 SEC 172.201(a)(3)\nCFR 49 SEC 172.202(a)(6)\nCFR 49 SEC 176.30 (a)(4)\nTOTE has been instructed through our hazardous recertification\ntraining that only Definitions and Abbreviations found in CFR 49 SEC171.8\nare allowed on shipping papers and vessel dangerous cargo manifests.\nTOTE is using HM 215 G.\nTOTE receives Roll-On/Roll-Off trailer and container shipments from\nshippers and consolidators using various modes of transportation nation and\nworld wide. They use various common words and abbreviations not found in\nthe CFR 49 SEC 171.8., for example: BARREL (BBL), CAN (CN), CASE\n(CS), CARTON (CTN), PACKAGE (PKG), PAIL, and AND TOTE.\nCFR 49 SEC 172.201(a)(3) states, \"Unless it is specifically authorized\nor required in this subchapter, the required shipping description may not\ncontain any code or abbreviation.\" At the same time CFR 49 SEC\n172.202(a)(6) indicates, \"Abbreviations may be used for indicating\npackaging types ... provided the abbreviations are commonly accepted and\nrecognizable. Additionally, CFR 49 SEC 176.30 (a) (4) reads \"The number\nand description of packages (barrels, drums, cylinders, boxes, etc) and gross\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nTOTEM OCEAN TRAILER EXPRESS, INC.\nPO Box 4129\nE®\nFederal Way, WA 98063-4129\nTel 253.449-8100\nFax 253.449.8225\nweight for each type of packaging.\" Please note that \"BARgaoom\nincluded in the definitions outlined in CFR 49 171.8.\"\nTOTE requests clarification on the following questions for ocean\ntransportation.\n1) Are the only allowed definitions and abbreviations found in CFR 49 SEC\n171.8?\n2) Are the below named (common and recognizable) words and\nabbreviations allowable on hazardous shipping papers and dangerous cargo\nmanifests? For example, shippers and consolidations use barrel (bbl), can\n(cn), case (cs), carton (ctn), package (pkg), pail and tote.\n3) Is Barrels (BBL) an allowed word and abbreviation? Barrels is not\nallowed by CFR 49 171.8, but is referenced as an example in CFR 49\nSEC176.30 (a)(4). It is TOTE s interpretation that Barrels may be used.\nTOTE will use your official LETTER OF INTERPRETATION on\nthese issues to educate and inform all of its shippers.\nThank you for your review and response to our questions.\nSincerely,\nHaney fiel\nNancy Aird\nTOTE DOC/HAZARDOUS\nCc. Matt Devenere - TOTE\nJohn Armstrong - TOTE\nPaul Den - TOTE\nBill King - TOTE","truncated":false,"body_characters":4618}