{"operation":"document","citation":"08-0154","title":"Symmetricom — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2008-06-25","effective_on":null,"summary":"08-0154 response to Symmetricom concerning 173.124.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0154.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0154.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0154","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080154.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Ave.. S.E.\nWashington. DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJUN 2 5 2008\nMr. Gerald M. Beauchesne\nFacility Manager\nSymmetricom\n34 Tozer Road\nBeverly, MA 01915-5510\nRef. No. 08-0 154\nDear Mr. Beauchesne:\nThis responds to your May 16,2008 letter requesting an update of an interpretation you\nreceived from the Office of Hazardous Materials Regulation of the Research and Special\nProgram Administration (RSPA), the predecessor agency to the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration, regarding the applicability of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 17 1 - 180) to a device containing rubidium. Specifically,\nyou request clarification on an interpretation indicating the device containing rubidium does\nnot pose a transportation hazard as a flammable solid and whether the interpretation can be\nextended to Class 4 hazardous materials.\nYou provide a copy of the letter your company received in November 1984 stating the\nopinion of the Office that \"a frequency standard (device) containing less than one gram of\nrubidium does not pose a transportation hazard as a flammable solid and consequently is not\nregulated as such.\" You also indicate that your company continues to produce frequency\ndevices with less than one gram of rubidium for use in atomic clocks. Finally, in telephone\nconversations with our Office, you state that tests conducted by your company on\ncomponents of the devices in which the glass cells or lamps containing rubidium are broken\ndo not show spontaneous ignition or flammability when exposed to air or water.\nBased on the information provided and on previous interpretation by RSPA, it is the opinion\nof this Office that a frequency device containing less than one gram of rubidium for use in\natomic clocks is not subject to the HMR as a Class 4 hazardous material.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if you require additional assistance.\nSincerely,\n,&&L )\nf, John A. Gale,\nV ' Chief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n34 Tozer Road\nBeverly, MA 01915-5510\nTel: (978) 927-8220\nFax: (978) 927-4099\nU.S. Department of Transportation PHH- 10\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nAttention: Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nMay 16,2008 I\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\nWe recently spoke to Dr. Ke, Offices of Hazardous Materials Technology - PHH-2 1 -Sciences, about a\nletter our company received from DOT back in November 1984 (see attached). This letter states that our\nRubidium product line, cantaining less than one gram of rubidium, does not pose a transportation hazard.\nOur discussion with Dr. Ke was centered around updating the statement outlined and the date of this\nletter. Dr Ke stated that this document is still accurate but after a detailed discussion with Dr. Ke, and\nunder his advisement, we are sending this letter to you to request an updated version on the following\nissues:\n1. The original company name and address has changed. The original company was Ball\nEfratom Div out of Irving Cal, which is now:\nJ < , -\n- .\nE. :!,!,: : , . . ;Sy-s&etri&di . .: :.,.,: ...\n, > .. .\n. . . -\n;I:. :.-c , .: . .?Cbtf~brate Headquarters\n4 - ' .. ;23,0O:Orchard Parkway\n;- .:-:; :. 3 - : .4 ?S&.!Jose, CA 95 13 1\nI:\n. ; ;;:USA\n. .\n2. We would also like a clarification on the statement of a flammable solid. Dr. Ke's\ninterpretation of this sentence is that we are covered for all divisions of Class 4. If this is\nindeed correct could we please get this changed from flammable solids to Class 4\n(Flammable Solids) in total?\nThe amount of Rubidium in today's current product is the same as what was described in 1984, which is\nless than 1 gram of Rubidium.\nSymmetricom is a manufacture of time and frequency devices using both Cesium and Rubidium in\nAtomic Clocks.\nIf you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call.\nFacility Manager.\n978-232- 1485 (ph) , . r\n978-265-2521 (cell) - , , . . . . -\n978-927-4099 (f&)..i ; ' :. I - : ' i ' .: :': :\nE-mail: GBeauchesae@,s~metricom.com -\n34 Tozer Rd, Beverly, MA 0 19 15\n7 -\nI ;","truncated":false,"body_characters":4150}