# HAZ-MAT Transportation Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 07-0138
- **title:** HAZ-MAT Transportation Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2007-07-20
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 07-0138 response to HAZ-MAT Transportation Services concerning 173.159, 173.25.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0138.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0138.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0138
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070138.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
Pipeline and Hazardous
of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Materials Safety Administration
2 0 2007
Mr. Jack Peters
Ref. No.: 07-0138
HAZ-MAT Transportation Services
P.O. Box 69206
Seattle, WA 98168
Dear Mr. Peters:
This is in response to your July 9, 2007 letter regarding packaging requirements for batteries
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you
ask if it is permissible to transport "Batteries, wet, filled with acid, 8, UN 2794, PG III," "Battery
fluid, acid, 8, UN 2796, PG II," and batteries that have yet to be filled with acid on the same
palette.
§ 173.159(c)(1) may be placed inside a larger package or affixed to a palette that also contains
other compatible hazardous and non-hazardous materials. This shipping configuration is referred
to as an overpack, as defined in § 171.8. It requires the battery to be packaged in accordance
with § 173.159(c)(1), the battery acid in accordance with § 173.159(g), and the overpack in
abeled for each hazardous material contained therein unless markings and labels representativ
ccordance with the requirements specified in § 173.25. The overpack must be marked anc
of each hazardous material in the overpack are visible.
You should also be aware that when packaged and overpacked as described in your letter, the
‹ception in § 173.159(e) does not apply to electric storage batteries. Electric storage batteri
ontaining electrolyte or corrosive battery fluid are excepted from the HMR when transported
accordance with the provisions specified in § 173.159(e). The condition specified in
§ 173.159(e)(1) states that no other hazardous materials may be transported on the same vehicle.
Therefore, with the exception of the batteries, no hazardous materials, including corrosive
battery fluid, may be transported on the vehicle.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact
this office.
Sincerely,
Hattie L. Mitchell
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
173.159 (e)
070138
173.25

<<<PAGE 2>>>

• Drakeford, Carolyn <PHMSA>
Sent:
From:
INFOCNTR <PHMSA>
Subject:
To:
Monday, July 09, 2007 2:13 PM
Pollack
FW: Information Center Comments/Questions
Drakeford, Carolyn <PHMSA>
$173.159(e)
Batteries
-----Original Message-----.
07-0138
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 10:23 AM
From: jlpetersl@juno.com [mailto:jlpeters1@juno.com]
To: INFOCNTR < PHMSA>
Subject: Information Center Comments/Questions
Wants a written letter of interp.
Completed via phone 7/9 by RB @ 2:12 pm
@juno.com) on Monday, July 9, 2007 at 10:22:38.
Below is the result of your feedback form.
It was submitted by Jack Peters (jlpetersl
Email: jlpetersl@juno.com
Name: (
Jack
Peters
173.476)
Category:
Shippers-General Requirements for Shipments and Packagings (Sections 173.1 -
Organization:
HAZ-MAT Transportation Services
Street:
P. O. Box
69206
City:
Seattle,
State:
Washington
Zip
Code:
98168
Phone:
253-219-0907 Cell.
Fax:
253-840-2085
(Call first)
Comments: Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo
Director,
Materials Standards U. S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10) 1200 New Jersey
July 9,
Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor
Jack Peters
P. O. Box 69206
HAZ-MAT Transportation Services
Seattle, WA 98168
Mr. Mazzullo,
This question has to do with 173.159 (c) (1) and 173.159 (g) .
A client of mine receives wet batteries prepared in accordance with 173.159 (c) (1).|
company who ships those batteries have been placing dry batteries with acid packs prepared
in accordance with 173.159 (g) on the same pallet (package) with the wet batteries.
package (battery and acid pack) and placed it in another package (batteries on pallet).
These are 2 different packages and I am not aware that you can take one properly prepared

<<<PAGE 3>>>

package.
The regulations, from my point of view doew not allow for this as each one is a separate
When prepared in accordance with 173.159 (c) (1), does that packaging method permit other
properly packaged hazardous materials per 173.159 (g) to be placed in the same package?
The first method is a package and not an overpack and the second is a separate package.
Additionally, they are not marking the pallet (batteries and dry batteries/acid pack) with
the proper shipping name and UN number for the battery acid (2796).
Shipping documents are correct and identify both batteries and battery acid.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter. I can ba reached at 253-219-0907 Pacific
Time Zone.
Jack Peters
HAZ-MAT Transportation Services
2
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