{"operation":"document","citation":"11-0068","title":"P&G — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2011-10-13","effective_on":null,"summary":"11-0068 response to P&G concerning 173.4, 173.4a.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0068.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0068.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0068","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110068.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashIngton. DC 20590\nOCT 132011\nMr. Alvin J. Bernstein\nP&G\nMason Business Center (MBC)\n8700 Mason Montgomery Road\nMason, OH 45040\nRef. No. 11-0068\nDear Mr. Bernstein:\nThis responds to your letter regarding package test protocol under the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask whether a separate drop\nand stack testing is required for combination packages containing liquids and solids where\nthe inner packagings are of the same design and the liquid inner packagings have a higher\nmass than the solid. You state that it should be permissible to only test the package design\nfor drop and stack capability that contains liquid substances and that a passing result should\nsatisfy the testing requirement for the package containing solid substances. You also state\nthat successful testing of the package design containing liquids should satisfy the small and\nexcepted quantity testing requirements under §§ 173.4 and 173.4a of the HMR, respectively,\nand the international standards equivalent for excepted and limited quantity package design\nintegrity, as well.\nIt is the opinion of this Office that you are correct in your determination of the test protocols\nrequired to assess the drop and stack testing capabilities of your particular packaging design\nin that successful testing of the design containing liquids would, in this particular scenario,\nalso satisfy the requirement to test the design containing solids ..\nI trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nDrakeford, Carol\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 2:37 PM\nTo: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: Package Testing\nHi Carolyn,\nWe received the following request for a letter of interpretation at the Info Center. The\ncaller previously spoke with Adam Lucas in the Info Center.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nVictoria Lehman\nHazmat Information Center (HMIC)\nPipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration i2ee New Jersey Avenue J SE J\nE2i-ii9 Washington J D.C. 2e5ge\nhttp://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/info-center\n(2e2) 366-ie35\nFrom: Bernstein, Alvin [mailto:bernstein.aj@pg.com]\nSent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 9:36 AM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSubject: Package Testing\nKind Person,\nI am hoping to get a 'Letter of Interpretation' for my inquiry below.\nPer 49CFR 173.4(a)(6) the completed package for a small quantity must be capable of passing a drop & stacking test. Per\nlATA 2.6.6 (excepted quantity) and 2.7.6 (limited quantity) we are required to test the packaging also. I inquired with lATA\nto see if I needed to test separately for both liquids and solids, and indicated all our solids are powdered, so the weight in\na container is less then when the container is filled with water. As an example, a 30 ml bottle with water weighs\napproximately 30g, but when filled with a powdered solid it weighs less then 30g. They suggested I have our competent\nregulatory authority make this determination, which I believe is you. My specific question then is:\nDo we need to test small quantity, excepted quantity and limited quantity packaging, when required, for both liquids and\nsolids, or will testing with liquids suffice for both?\nThank you,\nAlvin J Bernstein\nP&G MBC\nWe can't control the wind, but we IJave the power to adjust the sails.\nSign tJoard at Village Oil and Lube.\nNewtown,OH\n1","truncated":false,"body_characters":3600}