{"operation":"document","citation":"12-0150","title":"Horizon Lines — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2012-10-01","effective_on":null,"summary":"12-0150 response to Horizon Lines concerning 172.401, 172.502.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-12-0150.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-12-0150.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-12-0150","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2012/120150.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D C. 20590\nOCT o 3 2012\nMr. Clifford Bartley\nHorizon Lines\n5800-1 William Mills Street\nJacksonville, FL 32226\nRef. No.: 12-0150\nDear Mr. Bartley:\nThis responds to your July 11, 2012letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to marking requirements\nfor cargo containers. Specifically, you state that your company ships refrigerated cargo in\nreefer containers. The reefer containers have safety markings (as pictured in your letter) on\nthe back door of the container to provide guidance to equipment users. These marking are\ngenerally placed on the container by the manufacturer and have been noted on similar reefer\nequipment used by other container carriers. You ask if these markings would be a violation\nof§ 172.502(a)(2).\nThe answer is yes. Displaying or affixing a sign, advertisement, slogan, or device on a\ntransport vehicle or freight container that, by its color, design, shape, or content, could be\nconfused with, or mistaken for, a hazard warning label or placard is prohibited under\n§§ 172.401(b) and 172.502(a)(2)) of the HMR. This prohibition is intended to limit the\npotential for dilution of hazard warning communication provided by the appropriate\nhazardous materials labels and placards. It is the opinion of this Office that the marking\npictured in your letter is not sufficiently distinct from a placard referenced by the HMR.\nTherefore, this logo is prohibited under the provisions of §§ 172.401(b) and 172.502( a)(3 ).\nI hope this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\n~,#~~\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking. Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nTuesday, June 19, 2012\nAndrews\nMr Charles Betts,\nDirector of Hazmat Standards\nOffice Hazardous Materials Standards\nUSDOTPHMSA\nAttn:PHH-10\nU.S. Department of Transportation, East Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\n~J/2. 502(~)(2.)\nPI acav·d tnq\nI:L-tJ/60\nRe: 49CFR172.502(a)(2)- Prohibited Placarding\nDear 1t1r Betts,\nOur Company, Horizon Lines, LLC, is a domestic ocean container water carrier who ship\ncontainerized cargo to offshore domestic locations. We also ship refrigerated cargo in reefer\ncontainers that have safety markings on the back door of the container to provide guidance to the\nequipment user. The markings are generally placed on the container by the manufacturer and\nhave been noted on similar reefer equipment used by other container carriers.\nPlease provide guidance on whether the marking are a violation of 49CFR172.502(a)(2).\nWarning Marking\nPlacards\nSize\nColor\nSymbols\nHazard Class\nShape\nBorder\nText\n8X 8/203 mm\nDark Yellow\nNone\nNone\n·Diamond\n1/4 inch\nYz inch\n10% X 10% or a minimum or 240 mm\nLight Yell ow\nYes\nYes\nDiamond\n112 inch or 12.7 mm\n1.6 Inches high or 41 mm\nRefrigerated contairrcrs or reefer~ rarely carry hazardous cargo so I have placed an Oxidizer\nplacard on the back of a reefer container to illustrate the differences in the two attachments. The\ntext on the marking is illegible at a distance of about 15 feet.\nThank you for taking the time to provide guidance on this question.\nSincerely,\n~i~~\nManager Hazardous Materials\nHorizon Lines • Blount lsl9nd • 5800-.1 William Mills Street • .. Jacksonville. FL 32226 • 904.757.8266 • www horizon-lines. com\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nAARAteRe\nPONDOYA\nHRZU 545029 5\nL5R1\nHAL GHOSS\nTARE\nBET\n13.4701B\n110 KE\nCE.CA.\n2712 CUF\n68 ERN\n45\nOXIDIZER\nOXIDIZER\n5.1\n5.1\nTIGT\nCU.CAP.\n-61490 LB\n2.712 CUFH\n76.8 CUM.\nHRZU 545029 5\nVL\nL5R1\nCAUTION\nTARE\nRT SME\nCONTAIHER\nHIGH\nNET\nCULCAP.\nOXIDIZER\n45\n5.1\nOXIDIZER\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nPravention of Vecuum Dazage\nAirtight reeler\nOn slart ep, or PL first run She machine\nProcedure\nto relieve Die greasure as lbe sirchanges volate rupidly,\nWith a are-coaled loaded bon if the caras bonnis opared for\nany 168500-aleo open the vent more than 50s. rorS\nOXIDIZER\n5.1","truncated":false,"body_characters":4057}