# Department of the Army — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 11-0290
- **title:** Department of the Army — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2012-02-08
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 11-0290 response to Department of the Army concerning 173.168, 173.302, 178.602.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0290.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0290.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0290
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110290.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration FEB 082012
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington. DC 20590
Ms. Sarah Gedrich
Chief, LOGSA Packaging, Storage, and Containerization
Center (AMXLS-AT-L)
Department of the Anny
11 Hap Arnold Boulevard
Tobyhanna, PA 18466-5097
Ref. No. 11-0290
Dear Ms. Gedrich:
This responds to your October 12, 2011 letter requesting clarification of the preparation of
composite or combination packaging containing compressed oxygen and other oxidizing gases
in cylinders or chemical oxygen generators for testing under the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Part 171-180). In general terms, these articles are required to be
placed in a rigid outer packaging that conforms to the testing provisions in Part 178, Subpart M
ofthe HMR or the performance criteria of Airlines for America (A4A), formerly the Air
Transport Association of America, Inc. (AT A) , Specification No. 300 for a Category I shipping
container. See §§ 173.168(d)and 173.302(f)(3). You specifically request clarification ofthe
preparation ofpackaging for testing.
Your questions are paraphrased and answered in a single response as follows, however, we note
that the guidance offered relative to A4A Specification No. 300 is the opinion of this Office
and we recommend that you contact A4A for further guidance:
Q. Should the testing be conducted with the cylinder and chemical oxygen generator empty?
If so, how are we to account for the weight ofthe material in a filled cylinder or chemical
oxygen generator?
A. Yes. Additives similar to the instruction provided in § 178 .602( c) ofthe HMR can be used
to compensate for the weight ofthe hazardous contents.
I hope this answers your inquiry. Ifyou need additional assistance, please contact this Office at
(202) 366-8553.
S~'~~
Ben Supko
Acting Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

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ber kin cJ-eren
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY SIll. g
USAMC LOGISTICS SUPPORT ACTIVITY
REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA 35898-7466 S175.lfog
25 }7<6 . idJz-
October 12, 2011 eM WI ica ( 0}(J~ ~ n (b~r1tra.1oo
{t-D2/10
Logistics Testing and Applications Division
Mr. Charles E. Betts
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
U.S. DOTIPHMSA (PHH-10)
1200 New Jersey Avenue
SE East Building, 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Mr. Betts:
This letter of inquiry for interpretation is written on behalf of the US Army Materiel
Command Logistics Support Activity Packaging, Storage, and Containerization Center (USAMC
LOGSA PSCC), Tobyhanna, PA. It is being written for clarificat,ioniinterpretation ofthe HM224B,
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR): Transportation ,of Compressed Oxygen, Other
Oxidizing Gases and Chemical Oxygen Generators on Aircraft. '
The Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §17L~ defines all o~ter packaging as "the
outermost enclosure of a composite or combination packaging together with any absorbent
materials, cushioning and any other components necessary to contain and protect inner
receptacles or inner packagings." In order to meet the "integrity standards," the HM-224B
requires that the cylinder or the generator
"must be placed in a rigid outer packaging that (1)
Conforms to the requirements of either:
(i) Part 178, subparts L and M, ofthis subchapter at the Packing Group I
or II performance level; or
(ii) The performance criteria in Air Transport Association (AT A)
Specification No. 300 for a Category I shipping container." (49 CFR
§ 173.168 and § 173. 304)
As written, subparts L and M do not address the preparation of packagings for testing
if one was to designate the cylinder or generator as the inner packaging and the HM224B
specification packaging as the outer packaging. Typically, the package would be
required to be closed "in the same manner as if prepared for transportation" (49 CFR
§ 178.602). For the packaging being discussed, this could be 115 cubic feet of oxygen
compressed to pressures greater than 3,000 pounds per square lnch <psi) (for tests other
than the drop and stack tests). The 49 CFR addresses filling procedures for packages
subjected to the drop and stack tests, and in relation'to liquids and solids only. .
Compressed gas has a behavior different' from either a liquid or a..~olid~@d the safety
risks involved with testing pressurized cylinders are extreme. '.'''3'[' ';< . .. .

<<<PAGE 3>>>

-2•
Should the cylinder or generator be tested empty? If empty, how do we
account for the extra weight once filled (2 lbs to greater than 20 Ibs depending
on the size ofthe cylinder)?
ATA Specification No. 300 Category I does not address the preparation for packaging.
• Should the cylinder or generator be tested empty under these requirements as
well?
Point of contact for this matter is Miss Sarah R. Gedrich, DSN 795-7649, (570) 615-7649,
FAX (570) 615-7823, or e-mail sarah.gedrich@us.arrny.mil. All correspondence responding to
this memorandum should be sent to Chief, LOGSA Packaging, Storage, and Containerization
Center (AMXLS-AT-LiSarah Gedrich), 11 Hap Arnold Boulevard, Tobyhanna, PA 18466-5097.
Sincerely,
jf1 d·JL~~
sh~~rnith"VVV ­ Chief, Logistics Testing and
and Applications Division
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