# Sandia National Laboratories — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 07-0060
- **title:** Sandia National Laboratories — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2007-04-16
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 07-0060 response to Sandia National Laboratories concerning 178.503.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0060.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0060.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0060
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070060.pdf
**body:**

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Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Hazardous Materials Safety
Pipeline and
Administration
APR 16 2007
Mr. Leighton Ford
Environmental Management Department
Sandia National Laboratories
Ref. No.: 07-0060
7011 East Avenue MS 9221
Livermore, CA 94550
Dear Mr. Ford:
symbol on packagings (e.g, UN standard or specification drums) in accordance with the
This responds to your letter dated March 13, 2007, regarding display of the UN marking or
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Your questions are
paraphrased and answered as follows:
Q. Section 178.503(a)(1) permits the letters "UN" to be applied in place of the symbol;
may be used in the symbol. Is there any distinction between using upper case "UN"
however, the regulations do not specifically state that the upper case "UN" letters
letters vs. lower case "un" letters in the symbol or in place of the symbol as allowed
by § 178.503(a)(1)?
A.
The answer is yes. The design of the United Nations' symbol is distinctive and
allows the United Nations' symbol to be read the same regardless of orientation
standard must be marked with the United Nations' symbol (i.e., lower case "un"
(upside down or right side up) on the package. A packaging conforming to a UN
letters within a circle) as illustrated in paragraph (e) of §178.503. For embossed
metal receptacles, the letters "UN" may be used in place of the United Nations
symbol on a UN standard or specification package.
Q.
Section 178.503(a)(1) requires the side marking and the bottom marking to be the
same information as that found on the bottom of the drum (permanently embossed)
Sub the sed meartie specietion parking of thing ren i remenounderthe HIMR?
A.
The photographs you provided are unclear. The two black and white photographs of
178.503(a)()
070060

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UN standard packagings must be marked as specified in §§ 178.3 and 178.503. As
prescribed in § 178.3, tor packages with a gross mass of more than 30 kg (66
pounds), the markings must appear on the bottom or the side of the packaging. In
accordance with §178.503(a)(1), every new metal drum having a capacity of 100 L
must bear the marks described in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(6) and (a)(9)(i) in a
permanent form on the bottom. The markings on the top, head or side of these
packagings need not be permanent.
I hope this information is helpful. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Edward T. Mazzulle
Director, Office of Hazardous
Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Engrum
F) sandia National Laboratories
§ 178.503 (9)
Operated are a parat Energy by
Leighton Ford
Waste Program Engineer
Markingof Packagings
P.O. Box 96$
ivermore, CA 94551-0969
87-0060
Fax:
Phone: (925) 294-4506
Internet:
Iford@sandia.gov
(925) 294-3418
March 13, 2007
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (PHH-10)
Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo, Director
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W., RM 8430
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Mazzullo,
have ordered from the manufacturer currently meet DOT specifications. Per your request, Sandia National
Sandia National Laboratories/California wants to be sure that the drums and its respective markings that we
Laboratories/California is formally asking DOT, in writing, the following questions:
in our case, the regulations does not specifically address the notion that the "UN" letters can be used in the.
Question 1: It states in 178.503(a) (1) that the letters "UN" may be applied in place of the symbol, however,
symbol. Also, is there any distinction between using upper case "UN" versus lower case "un" in the symbol
or in place of the symbol as allowed by 178.503(a) (1)?
Question 2: Also, 178.503(a) (10) states that the side marking and the bottom marking must be the same
information as that found on the bottom of the drum (permanently embossed). Does the side marking and
the bottom marking of the drum that we ordered (pictures of marking supplied) comply with this section of
marking on the side of the drum with that of the marking on the bottom of the drum to see if meets DOT
Sandia National Laboratories/California is enclosing three pictures for your review. Please compare the
specifications. Thank you ahead of time for your prompt attention to this matter.
I eighton Ford
SNL/CA
7011 East Avenue MS9221
Environmental Management Department
925-294-4506
Livermore, CA 94550
(9) Enclosures
Exceptional Service in the National Interest
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