{"operation":"document","citation":"11-0299","title":"Mr. Paul J. Dambek — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2012-03-20","effective_on":null,"summary":"11-0299 concerning 171.8, 173.24, 173.301.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0299.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0299.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0299","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110299.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department 1200 New Jersey Ave .. S.E.\nWashington. DC 20590\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nMAR 2 0 2012\nMr. Paul J. Dambek\n12 Kimball Hill Road\nHudson, NH 03051-3915\nReference No.: 11-0299\nDear Mr. Dambek:\nThis responds to your letter requesting clarification of Hazardous Materials Regulations\n(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the packaging and overpacking of\nDepartment of Transportation (DOT) specification 39 cylinders. In your incoming letter,\nyou describe a scenario in which four DOT specification 39 cylinders containing \"UN\n1956, Compressed gas, n.o.s.\" are placed in a plastic \"suitcase\" with padded foam inserts.\nThis \"suitcase\" also contains other non-regulated items and is further placed into a strong\nouter fibreboard box. Based on this scenario, your questions are paraphrased and answered\nas follows:\nQ1. Is the \"suitcase\" in which the four DOT specification 39 cylinders are placed\nconsidered an overpack or a combination package?\nAI. Provided the \"suitcase\" meets the definition of a strong outer packaging and the\ngeneral requirements for packagings under §§ 173.24 and 173.24a, it may be\nconsidered the outer packaging of the combination packaging specified in\n§ 173.301(a)(9). In accordance with § 173.301(a)(9), DOT specification 39\ncylinders must be packed in strong non-bulk outer packagings. A \"strong outer\npackaging\" is defined in § 171.8 and means the outermost enclosure which\nprovides protection against the unintentional release of its contents under\nconditions normally incident to transportation.\nQ2. Must the \"suitcase\" in which the four DOT specification 39 cylinders are placed be\nbuilt to a United Nations (UN) specification?\nA2. The answer is no. A \"strong outer packaging\" is not required to meet a specific\npackage specification; however it must meet the definition of a strong outer\npackaging and the general requirements for packagings under §§ 173.24 and\n173.24a.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. Must the fibreboard box in which the \"suitcase\" containing the four DOT\nspecification 39 cylinders are placed be built to a UN specification?\nA3. The answer is no. In the scenario you describe, the fibreboard box acts as an\noverpack and therefore must meet the requirements specified in § 173.2S. An\noverpack is not required to be built to a UN specification.\nQ4. Must each of the four DOT specification 39 cylinders be marked with the proper\nshipping name and UN number and bear the Division 2.2 label?\nA4. The answer is no. Under § 173.301(a)(9), DOT 39 cylinders must be placed in a\nstrong outside packaging. The cylinder and the strong outer packaging together\nconstitute the package. Therefore, the hazard markings and labels must be affixed\nto the outside packaging. The cylinders are not required to be marked with the\nproper shipping name and UN number and bear the Division 2.2 label. However,\nthe cylinders must be marked in accordance with § 178.6S(i) with the cylinder\nspecification marking (e.g., DOT 39 NRC494/618 M0123).\nQS. Must the \"suitcase\" in which the four DOT specification 39 cylinders are placed be\nmarked with the proper shipping name and UN number and bear the Division 2.2\nlabel?\nAS. The answer is yes. Under § J 73.301(a)(9), DOT 39 cylinders must be placed in a\nstrong outside packaging. The cylinder and the strong outer packaging together\nconstitute the package therefore, the hazard markings and labels must be affixed to\nthe outside packaging, in this case the \"suitcase.\" In addition, the outside of the\ncombination packaging must be marked with an indication that the inner\npackagings conform to the prescribed specifications.\nQ6. Must the fibreboard box in which the \"suitcase\" containing the four DOT\n. specification 39 cylinders are placed be marked with the proper shipping name and\nUN number and bear the Division 2.2 label?\nA6. The answer is yes. As specified in 173.2S(a)(2) an overpack must be marked with\nthe proper shipping name and identification number, when applicable, and labeled\nas required by the HMR for each hazardous material contained therein, unless\nmarking and labels representative of each hazardous material in the overpack are\nvisible.\nI hope 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 3>>>\n\n15enedI'e+C§\n/73 .:2. S-s\n172,3) L\n~ 17/ .. ?\nHAZMATEAM bye rfo-cJ.s\n++++~~ +~\n12 Kimball Hill Road 11'- ()2. q~\nHudson, NH 03051-3915\nTelephone: (603) 882-1112\nFax: (603) 882-6512\nWeb site: www.hazmateam.com\nDecember 2,2011\nMr. Charles Betts\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nAttn: PHH-10\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nEast Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nDear Mr. Betts:\nI am requesting a letter of interpretation on shipping different DOT SpeCification 39 cylinders in\na fibreboard box. Please consider the following package: 4 DOT Specification 39 cylinders\nare placed in a plastic \"suitcase\" which is padded with foam. Other non-regulated items are in\nthe suitcase, as well. Included with this correspondence are photos of this \"suitcase\"\narrangement. The suitcase is then placed into a strong outer fibreboard box.\nEach cylinder contains 1 KG of a non-flammable gas, \"UN 1956, Compressed Gas, N.O.S.\".\nEach of the four cylinders contains a different mixture of gases (Le, different technical names for\neach cylinder).\nQuestions:\n1) Is the \"suitcase\" considered an overpack or a combination package? For air transport,\nshipping papers must have the appropriate statement: \"Overpack Used\" or \"All packed\ninto one ... \".\n2) Must the \"suitcase\" be UN specification packaging?\n3) Must the fibreboard box be a UN specification packaging?\n4) Must each of the cylinders be marked with Proper shipping name and UN number and\nhave the Division 2.2. label affixed?\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n5) Must the \"suitcase\" be marked with each proper shipping name, UN number, the word\n\"OVERPACK\" and affixed with a Division 2.2 label?\n6) Must the fibreboard box be marked with each proper shipping name, UN number, the\nword \"OVERPACK\" and affixed with a Division 2.2 label?\nIf you have questions, do not hesitate to send e-mail to paul@hazmateam.com or call 401-5958395.\nYour assistance is greatly appreciated.\nSincerely,\nPaul J. Dambek, CIT\nHazardous Materials Trainer and Consultant","truncated":false,"body_characters":6474}