# Bluegrass Army Depot — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 08-0119
- **title:** Bluegrass Army Depot — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2008-11-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 08-0119 response to Bluegrass Army Depot concerning 173.159, 177.835.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0119.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0119.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0119
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080119.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington. DC 20590
Ms. Gretchen Schmidt
Bluegrass Army Depot
43 1 Battlefield Memorial Highway
Richmond, KY 40475-5070
Reference No. 08-0 1 19
Dear Ms. Schmidt:
This is in response to your e-mail asking whether materials with the proper shipping name
"Fuzes, detonating," fall under the category of "detonators" and are subject to the
requirements prescribed in 5 177.835(g) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
CFR Parts 17 1-1 80). We apologize for the delay in responding and any inconvenience this
may have caused.
The answer is yes. The HMR defines a "detonator" in 5 173.159 as an article that is designed
to start a detonation train of an explosive material, and a "fuze" as an article designed to start
a detonation or deflagration in ammunition that incorporates mechanical, electrical, chemical,
or hydrostatic components and generally protective features. The HMR list all detonating
fuzes by identification number under tj 173.61(c), including UN 0106, UN 01 07, UN 0257,
and UN 0367 for "Fuzes, detonating," and UN 0408, UN 0409, and UN 0410 for "Fuzes,
detonating with protectivefeatures. " The list also includes UN numbers for detonators that
are listed in the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the
International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO's) Technical Instructions for the Safe
Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Technical Instructions), and the International
Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
Section 173.61 prescribes requirements for packaging explosives with other materials.
Paragraph (c) of this section prohibits detonators from being packed with other Class 1
materials except other detonators that meet the compatibility requirements prescribed in
$ 173.6 1 (e). In addition, § 177.835(g) prohibits detonators from being transported on the

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same motor vehicle with any Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosive material (except other
detonators, detonator assemblies, or boosters with detonators), Division 1.4 detonating cord,
or Division 1.5 material unless the detonating materials are placed in protective packagings
prescribed in 9 177.835(g)(l), (g)(2), or (g)(3).
I hope this satisfies your request.
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Drakeford, Carolyn cPHMSA>
From:
Sent:
To:
Subjecl
INFOCIVTR <PHMSA>
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 1 :31 PM
Drakeford, Carolyn <PHMSA>
FW: Information Center Comments/Questions
Carolyn,
Thanks Rob
This woman would like a written letter of interpretation on the issue discussed below.
----- Original Message-----
From: gretchen.schmidt@us.army.mil [mailto:gretchen.schmidt@us.army.mil]
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 11:49 AM
To: INFOCNTR <PHMSA>
Subject: Information Center Comments/Questions
Below is the result of your feedback form. It was submitted by Gretchen Schmidt
(gretchen.schmidt@us.army.mil) on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 11:48:33.
Name: Gretchen Schmidt
Category: Highway (Sections 177.800 - 177.870)
Organization: Bluegrass Army Depot
Street: 431 Battlefield Memorial Hwy.
City: Richmond
State: Kentucky
Zip Code: 40475-5070
Phone: 859-779-6826
Comments: I am asking a question in regard to 177.835(g), the section about detonators. I
would like to know which proper shipping names this applies to, specifically, if the PSN:
FUZES, DETONATING falls in the categories described in this paragraph. I would appreciate
a written reponse. Thankyou for your time.
Gretchen Schmidt
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