# YRCW- North American Transportation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 08-0174
- **title:** YRCW- North American Transportation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2009-01-16
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 08-0174 response to YRCW- North American Transportation concerning 173.159.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0174.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0174.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0174
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080174.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
Mr. Robert A. Maberry I11
Sr. Administrator-Chemical Transportation
Hazardous Materials Dept.
YRCW- North American Transportation
10990 Roe Avenue
Mail Stop A605
Overland Park, KS 66211
Ref. No. 08-0174
Dear Mr. Maberry:
This responds to your letter requesting assistance in determining the description required for
an electric storage battery on a shipping paper under the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You ask what "number and type of packages" required under
9 172.202(a)(7) should be indicated on a shipping paper for a 650-lb electric storage battery
containing acid (UN2794) that is secured to a skid conforming to the non-specification
packagings authorized for batteries under 5 173.159(~)(1). More specifically, you ask
whether the description "1 skid, Battery, wet, filled with acid, 8, UN2794,111, 650 pounds" is
acceptable or if "1 Battery, Battery, wet, filled with acid, 8, UN2794,III, 650 pounds" would
be a more appropriate description.
Because 5 173.159(~)(1) requires the battery to be secured to a skid without any further
packaging, the description "1 skid, Battery, wet, filled with acid, 8, CTN2794,111, 650 pounds"
is more appropriate.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of hazardous Materials Standards

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. ,
10990 Roe Avenue j f ' '. ;
Overland Park, KS 6621j , . .
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yrcw corn ~ 8
5hippl hj ?&p@r~/ Y c North Baff4rj( American T anc ~ o r t q t c r
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June 24,2008
Office of Hazardous.Materia1 Standards, PHMSA
Attn: PHH- 10
U.S. Department of Transportation, East Bldg.
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Edward T. Mazzullo
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Mr. Mazzullo,
I I
I am .requesting a letter of interpretation and clarification in reference to 49 CFR parts
172.202 (a) (7) and 49 CFR 173.159 (c) (1) as they relate to the following example of a
Battery, wet filled with acid, 8, UN2794, 111.
The battery in this example is a 650 pound battery used for emergency power back up
systems in various applications and in remote locations. It is prepared for transportation
in accordance with 49 CFR 173.159 (c) (1) and "firmly secured to skids or pallets" as
outlined in this part, as non specification packaging authorized for batteries packed
without other materials.
49 CFR 172.202 (a) (7) requires the bill of lading to indicate the number and of
packages "(for example, "12 Drums")" for a regulated hazardous material entry on a bill
of lading. It is my understanding from previous conversations with the Department of
Transportation, that a "pallet or skid" can not "contain" (as a means of restraint) a liquid,
solid or gas and therefore is not by definition a "packaging" but an instrument of
conveyance. I understand and do not disagree with that explanation. My concern is the
appropriate way to describe this battery on a bill of lading in compliance with 172.202 (a)
(7) when packaged in accordance with 173.159 (c) (1). Would the description: 1 skid,
Battery wet filled with acid, 8, UN2794, I11 650 pounds, be in compliance with this
section? Does PHMSA accept "Battery" as being a valid description of packaging in the
case where there is no external packaging around the battery case? If not what would the
correct entry for the above described battery that is secured to a skid or pallet and in
compliance with 173.159 (c) (1) on a bill of lading?
- ." , --
Roadway. I)oadw-y

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Page 2
r is greatly appreciated.
YRCW- North American Transportation
Robert A Mabemj III
Sr. Administrator-Chemical Transportation
Hazardous Materials Dept..
Phone: 913-344-5890
Fax: 913-344-3614
rob.maberry@yrcw.com
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