{"operation":"document","citation":"10-0052","title":"Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2011-10-04","effective_on":null,"summary":"10-0052 response to Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) concerning 173.62.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0052.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0052.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0052","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2010/100052.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\n1200 New Jersey Ave, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nOCT 0 4 2Ui1\nMr. Christopher J. Widman\nCorporate DOT Haz Mat .\nTransportation Specialist\nAlliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK)\n7480 Flying Cloud Drive\nMinneapolis, MN 55344-3720\nRef. No. 10-0052\nDear Mr. Widman:\nThis responds to your letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations\n(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the requirements for testing and packaging large\nand robust explosive articles. Specifically, you ask two questions regarding the responsibility for\nensuring Series 4 tests are successfully accomplished for unpackaged explosive articles\nprescribed in Packing Method 130 of § 173.62. Your questions are paraphrased and answered as\nfollows.\nQl. Packing Method 130 of § 173.62 authorizes certain large and robust explosive articles to\nbe shipped unpackaged if a negative result is achieved when Test Series 4 in the UN\nManual of Tests and Criteria is conducted on the article. Must Test Series 4 be\nsuccessfully conducted prior to offering for transportation or transporting an unpackaged\narticle under § 173 .62( c)( 5) Packing Method 130?\nAt. No. Test Series 4 may be waived at the discretion of the examining laboratory with\nsufficient justification or by PHMSA where impractical.\nQ2. Is it the shipper's responsibility to ensure that Test Series 4 is conducted on an\nunpackaged explosive article, if appropriate? If not, whose responsibility is it?\nA2. The shipper must determine whether or not the examining laboratory will require the test\nin order to complete its evaluation of the unpackaged article.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nIn accordance with § 173.56(b )(1), the person requesting approval for the explosive must\nsubmit a report of test results and assignment of a recommended shipping description,\ndivision, and compatibility group. Subsequent offerors must obtain a separate approval\nfor any packaging deviations made before shipment.\nI trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincere]y,\nr-7~~~~\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nSfevens\nATK\n7480 Flying Cloud Drive\n~/73. loz\nMinneapolis, MN 55344 -3720\nwww.atk.com ~ 103. 5 1\n2 March 2010\nGpD~i\\l-e...~\n10- DOo'2U.S.\nDOT\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: PHH-l0\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Ave, SE\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nDear Standards:\nAlliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) is requesting an interpretation of Packaging Instruction\n130 (PI-130) defined in §173.62 in the HMR.\nNote; because PI-130 identifies Test Series 4 criteria (which are defined in §173.57 (5)\n(b) & Titled: Acceptance criteria for new explosives), there will be a request for\ninterpretation regarding this regulation as well.\nWe request clarification on the Test Series 4 requirements when proposing to ship an\narticle with a United Nations identification number (UN Serial Number) specifically listed\nin the HMR under \"Particular Packaging Requirements or Exceptions\" of PI-130.\nPI-130: First Column\nColumn one of PI-130 Titled: Packaging Instruction Subtitle: Particular Packing\nRequirements or Exceptions states the following:\nLarge and robust explosives articles, normally intended for military use,\nwithout their means of initiation or with their means of initiation containing\nat least two effective protective features, may be carried unpackaged.\nWhen such articles have propelling charges or are self-propelled, their\nignition systems must be protected against stimuli encountered during\nnormal conditions of transport. A negative result in Test Series 4 on an\nunpackaged article indicates that the article can be considered for transport\nunpackaged. Such unpackaged articles may be fixed to cradles or contained\nin crates or other suitable handling devices.\nPlease review the first twosentences of the above paragraph and offer an interpretation\ntoQl.\nQl; If an article meets the description of either or both of the first two sentences of\nPI-130 (identified above), is the shipper required to conduct Series 4 Tests before being\nauthorized to ship the article unpackaged?\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nU.S. DOT\n2 March 2010\nPage 2\n49 CFR §173.57 (5) (b)\n49 CFR §173.57 (5) (b) defines Test Series 4 criteria and is copied below.\n(b) An explosive article, packaged or unpackaged, or a packaged explosive\nsubstance must be submitted to the Thermal Stability Test for Articles and\nPackaged Articles (Test method 4(a)(i)) and the Twelve Meter Drop Test\n(Test Method 4(b)(ii), when appropriate, in the Explosive Test Manual.\nQ2: Is it the shipper's responsibility to decide when it's appropriate to conduct\n(Test Series 4(a)(i)) & 4(b)(ii)) on an unpackaged article?\nIf you have any questions regarding the above request, please contact me at (952)\n351-5506, or by email atchristopher.widman@atk.com.\nThank you for taking the time and resources to review.\nSincerely,\nChristopher J. Widman\nCorporate DOT Haz Mat Transportation Specialist\nCJW/lrs","truncated":false,"body_characters":5091}