# FedEx Freight — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 10-0139
- **title:** FedEx Freight — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2010-11-30
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 10-0139 response to FedEx Freight concerning 172.202, 172.312, 173.154, 173.315.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0139.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0139.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-10-0139
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2010/100139.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
NOV 3a 2010
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Ms. Sandra Richesin
Safety Compliance Administrator
FedEx Freight
P.O. Box 840
Harrison, AR 72602-0840
Reference No. 10-0139
Dear Ms. Richensin:
This is in response to your July 1,2010 letter and July 22,2010 telephone conversation with a
member of my staff requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR
Parts 171-180) applicable to shipping papers. Specifically, you ask whether the shipping paper you
submitted describing two cartons containing 850 cubic centimeters (0.22 gallons) or less of "UN
2796, Battery fluid, acid, 8, Packing Group (PG) iI, Limited Quantity" complies with the HMR.
You state each completed package consists of one crate that contains one carton of battery fluid and
one motorcycle. You also state these materials are described on an accompanying shipping paper
but are packaged in such a manner that the presence of the battery acid in the package would not be
known without the shipping paper description.
It is the opinion of this Office that the shipping paper you submitted does not fully comply with the
HMR. The shipping paper you submitted does not properly indicate each carton of limited quantity
battery acid is within a combination package that consists of a crate as the outer packaging (see
§ 173.154). The HMR require that the number and type of package must also be indicated (see
§ 172.202(a)(7». The shipping paper you submitted includes the number "10" in the entry for
battery acid. You explain this represents the total weight of the battery fluid as 10 pounds. The
HMR require a total quantity, including unit of measure by net or gross mass, capacity, or as
otherwise appropriate, for each hazardous material described on a shipping paper (see
§ 172.202(a)(5»). Although the cubic centimeter amounts provided for the battery fluid on this
shipping paper satisfy this requirement, the 10 pound entry is another total quantity for the battery
fluid description. Therefore, this Office recommends that this shipping paper entry include a
"pound" unit of measure to assist with making it easily decipherable for purposes of emergency
response.
Also, please note the HMR require the outside of a non-bulk package containing a hazardous
material liq uid to be properl y marked with the directional arrows package marking in the correct
orientation, as prescribed in § 172.312(a)(2). The HMR also except a limited quantity packaging

<<<PAGE 2>>>

from having to be marked with the proper shipping name provided the package is marked with the
correct identification number, in this instance "UN 2796," that is placed within a square-on-point
border, as prescribed in § 172.315.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
~#k~~::---
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Standards and Rulemaking Division
2

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Jul. 1. 2010 3:17PM FEDEX FREIGHT East No. 1806 P. 1
p.o, Bo~ 840 2200 ~orwa(d DrivB TelephoM 1810741.9000
Hsrrisan.1\R 7260H840 Harrison, AR 72601 Tull-frn 1800,8744723
F8~ 1,870.141,3003
t.elm()h S60CV)
~ 172. .202
FecEx. ~ 17L-- 263
Freight
~ffiJ?c( t6.per~
JO-OJ:!3Cj"
July 1,2010
Hattie L. Mitchell, Chief
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington. DC 20590
Dear Chief Mitchell,
Enclosed please find a copy of a shipping paper which some clarification is being
requested on whether it meets the requirements ofthe regulations. Each carton
containing the hazardous material, battery fluid, is inside a crate containing one ofthe
motorcycles listed. The carton of hazardous material is not visible when looking at the
crate.
I appreciate your time in reviewing this and look forward to your response.
Sincerely.
~ct~cQ~
Sandra Richesin, DER
Safety Compliance Administrator

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Jul.
1. 2010c 3: 17PMeRIFEDEX FREIGHT EastECIAL MARKS AND EXCEPTIONS
•No. 1806-1
ITEM
MODEL/SPEC/COLOR CODE
COLOR
QTY.
CORR
BUR TO
UTE
comi
check
DATTERY FLUID, ACID, 9. UN2796, PGLI.. - TD? OTY.
iE0O TTL EE, LESS THAN B5OCE IN EACH OF • 2 CARTONE
10
EMENDENCY CONTACT: CHEMTREC 2-800-424-9300
| ANY FREIGHT PREPAID
*##
1 93500FK9
GRY DREY
005246
VTTGMS1A592102531
612
2: 06500FK9
WHT WHITE
1
005131
VTTOMS1A992102404
662
21908384 00402P / 219083851M00402PW /
FOTAL OTV.
TOTAL WEIGH
1234.
LOAD #
61679
tableto!
SPECTAL INSTRUCTIONS
LOS
without per
The carte
Outra tae
I charpos ero le be propmie ande en alamo nero, To be
- PREPATO
Reed 6.
argas on me procent, described harron
TRUCKLIME PERSON CONTACTED
DAte
LAST DO
DR PAU
SHIPPER,
AGENT, PEA
PENNET EY OFFERE
ITL HAP URN HISHKAY, P.O. BOX 1100
WAREHOUSE
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- **body characters:** 4747
