{"operation":"document","citation":"07-0153","title":"gh Package and Product Testing and Consulting Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2007-11-19","effective_on":null,"summary":"07-0153 response to gh Package and Product Testing and Consulting Inc. concerning 178.603.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0153.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0153.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0153","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070153.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nNOV 1 9 2007 U.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nMr. H. Perry Hock\nPresident and Technical Director\ngh Package and Product Testing and\nConsulting Inc.\n4090 Thunderbird Lane\nFairfield, OH 450 14\n1200 New Jersey Ave., S.E.\nWashington. DC 20590\nRef. No.: 07-0 153\nDear Mr. Hock:\nThis responds to your August 7,2007 letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR, 49 CFR Parts 17 1 - 1 80) requirements applicable to packaging\ntest samples. Specifically, you ask about the requirements for using a non-hazardous\nmaterial in place of a hazardous material when testing sample packagings.\nSection 178.602(c) authorizes the use of non-hazardous materials in sample packagings that\nwill be tested in accordance with Subpart M of Part 178 of the HMR. The non-hazardous\nmaterial must have similar physical characteristics, including the same or higher specific\ngravity, to the hazardous material for which the packaging will be used.\nRequirements for conducting the drop test are specified in 5 178.603. Paragraph (c) of this\nsection addresses preparation for the drop test of certain types of plastic packagings. In\naccordance with this paragraph, packagings must be tested when the temperature of the\nsample packaging and its contents has been reduced to - 18' C or lower. Test liquids must be\nkept in the liquid state. If necessary to ensure that the test liquid remains in a liquid state,\nanti-freeze may be added to the test liquid. In this situation, waterlanti-freeze solutions with\na minimum specific gravity of 0.95 for testing at - 18' C or lower are acceptable test liquids.\nNote that the specific gravity specified in !j 178.603(c) applies only when the use of a\nwaterlanti-freeze solution is necessary to ensure that the test liquid remains in a liquid state.\nIf the use of a waterlanti-freeze solution is not necessary to ensure that the material remains\nin a liquid state, the requirements specified in !j 178.602(c) applicable to the use of non-\nhazardous materials for testing sample packagings apply.\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n03\ngh Package Is0 l7025 4090 Thunderbird Lane Phone (513) 870-0080\n& Product accredited Fairfield. OH 45014 Fax (513) 870-0017\n- --- ------\nTesting and 335 W Melinda Lane Phone (623) 869-8008\nConsulting, Inc. Phoenix AZ 85027 Fax (623) 869-8003\nTo: Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nU.S. DOTIRSPA (DHM- 10)\n1200 New Jersey Ave. S.W. Washington, DC 20590-0001\n%I?s.~oz(c)\n4 ( 7 f - (.103&)\nFrom: Mr. H. Perry Hock\nPresident and Technical Director\ngh Package & Product Testing and Company\n4090 Thunderbird Lane\nFairfield, OH 450 14\nSubject: Special preparations of test samples - 178.602 (c), 178.603 (c)\nDear Mr. Mazzullo,\nIs it permissible to use a liquid that has a lower specific gravity than 0.95 for combination\npackagings that contain plastic inners, provided that the gross mass of the test pack\nexceeds the marked gross mass of the packaging?\nIn section 178.602 (c), if the hazardous material is replaced with non-hazardous material,\nthe non hazardous material must be the same or higher specific gravity.\nIn 178.603 (c) -there is a .stated minimum for non-hazardous materials to have a 0.95\nspecific gravity, yet it is still possible to have non-hazardous liquids with a lower specific\ngravity than 0.95 and still a higher specific gravity than the hazardous material to which\nthey are replacing. In paragraph 178.603 (e), it recognizes liquids that are non hazardous\nand essentially having the same physical characteristics as the liquid to which they are\nreplacing.\nExample: combination pack containing 4 F-style cans\nAcetone - specific gravity of 0.78\nNon-hazardous solution - specific gravity of 0.88\nTested with Acetone: 14.5 kg (14.580 kg)\nGross mass: 4.088 liters x 4 x 1 kg per liter x 98% x 0.78 SG + 2.08 1 kg\nTested with 0.88 specific gravity solution: 16.1 kg (16.182 kg)\nGross mass: 4.088 liters x 4 x 1 kg per liter x 98% x 0.88 SG + 2.08 1 kg\nTested with water: 18.1 kg (1 8.105 kg)\nGross mass: 4.088 liters x 4 x I kg per liter x 98% x 1.0 SG + 2.08 1 kg\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nTested with 0.95 specific gravity solution: 17.3 kg (1 7.304 kg)\nGross mass: 4.088 liters x 4 x 1 kg per liter x 98% x 0.95 SG + 2.08 1 kg\nIt would appear that the 2004 update (published in the 2005 regulations) to 178.603, in\nmy opinion, should have only been applicable to utilizing the provision in 178.603\n(e)(2)(ii).\nIf you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 5 1 3.870.0080 x 1 03.\nI look forward to your prompt response.\nYours Truly,\nH. Perry Hock\nPresident and Technical Director\ngh Package & Product Testing and Consulting, Inc.","truncated":false,"body_characters":4818}