# Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 13-0052
- **title:** Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2013-04-25
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 13-0052 response to Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc. concerning 172.202, 172.504.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0052.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0052
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130052.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
APR 2 5 ZOl3
Denise Nguyen
QC Chemist
Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc.
136 Official Road
Addison, IL 601 0 1
Ref. No. 13-0052
Dear Ms. Nguyen:
This responds to your February 21, 2013 e-mail to the Hazardous Materials Information Center
(HMIC) and March 15, 2013 follow-up letter to this Office requesting clarification of the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to shipping paper
entries and placarding determinations. Specifically, you ask: ( 1) how to calculate the total
quantity of hazardous material covered by a description as prescribed in§ 172.202(e)(5) for
transportation by modes other than aircraft; (2) how to calculate the total net mass of hazardous
material per package as prescribed in§ 172.202(e)(6) for transportation by air; and (3) whether
the weight of non-hazardous material should be considered when calculating the "aggregate
gross weight" under § 172.504( c)( 1) when it is packed in the same outer package with
hazardous material. The package you describe in your e-mail and letter and our responses to
your aforementioned questions are as follows:
We place a two-part epoxy kit within the same combination package.
Part A is non-hazardous and weighs 10 lbs. Part B is a regulated
hazardous material and is described as "UN2735, Amines, liquid,
corrosive, n.o.s. (Technical name), 8, II" and also weighs 10 lbs.
A 1. A2. The total quantity of hazardous material covered by a description for transportation by
modes other than aircraft is indicated as the net sum of hazardous materials only,
covered by an individual description, as prescribed in§ 172.202(e)(5). For example:
UN2735, Amines, liquid, corrosive, n.o.s. (Technical name), 8, II, 1 box, 10 lbs.
The total net mass of hazardous material per package for transportation by air is
indicated as the net sum of hazardous materials only, covered by the same description,
type of packaging and quantity of hazardous material per package, as prescribed in
§ 172.202(e)(6). For example:
UN2735, Amines, liquid, corrosive, n.o.s. (Technical name), 8, II, I box, 10 lbs.

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A3. As provided by§ 172.504(c), except for bulk packagings and hazardous materials
subject to§ 172.505, a transport vehicle carrying less than 454 kg (1,001 pounds)
aggregate gross weight of Table 2 hazardous materials need not be placarded. When
calculating the 454 kg (1 ,001 pounds) aggregate gross weight, the tare weight of each
individual packaging plus the weight of its Table 2 hazardous material content is used
to determine whether placarding is required. Generally, tare weight consists of the
packaging and its various components (e.g., cushioning, liner, absorbent, inner
packaging). However, in the scenario you describe, tare weight also includes non-
hazardous articles or substances packed in the same outer package as the hazardous
articles or substances.
I trust this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Friday, February 22, 2013 9:32AM
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
FW: Request For Interpretation Letter
18-00!5~
Hi Carolyn,
We received the following request for a letter of interpretation. The caller spoke with both Mike Pagel and Adam Lucas in
the Info Center, and Dirk DerKinderen also provided them with guidance on their phone response.
Thanks,
Victoria
From: Denise Nguyen [mailto:dtnguyen@strongtie.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 21, 2013 10:01 AM
To: Pagel, Michaei.CTR (PHMSA)
Subject: Request For Interpretation Letter
Hi Mike,
I recently contacted your office regarding the definition of "aggregate gross weight". The answer that
I received was different than what we were told a few years ago. For that reason, I was told to
request for an Interpretation Letter from your office. Here is my question.
If a non-regulated material is packed together with a hazardous material in a same box, do we need to
include the weight of the non-regulated material?
Regards,
(])enise :Nguyen
QC Chemist
Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc.
136 Official Road
Addison IL, 60101
Phone: (630) 613-5120
E-mail: dtnguyen@strongtie.com
PRIVILEGED AND CONFIDEN'IJAL NOTICE:
This communication, including attachments, is for the exclusive use of addressee and may contain proprietary,
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1

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SIMPSON
March 15, 2013
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20590
To Whom It May Concern:
I recently contacted your office regarding the definition of"aggregate gross weight". The
answer that I received was different than what we were told a few years ago. For that reason, I
was told to request for an Interpretation Letter from your office. Here is our scenario.
We have a 2-part epoxy kit in the same box. Part A weighs 10 lbs. and Part B weighs 10 lbs. The
total package weight is 22 lbs.
Part A is NOT REGULA TED since it does not meet the definition of a hazardous material
as defined in 49 CFR 171.8.
Part B is regulated as a Class 8 corrosive material and is classified as UN2735, AMINES,
LIQUID, CORROSIVE, N.O.S. (), 8, II.
49 CFR 172.202(e)(5) states, "Except for transportation by aircraft, the total quantity of
hazardous materials covered by the description must be indicated (by mass or volume, or by
activity for Class 7 materials) and must include an indication of the applicable unit of
measurement, for example, "200 kg" (440 pounds) or "50 L" (13 gallons) ... "
Question 1: For Ground shipments, how do we declare the total quantity ofthe hazardous
materials on the shipping paper as required in 49 CFR 172.202(e) (5)?
49 CFR 172.202(e) (6) states, "For transportation by aircraft, the total net mass per package,
must be shown unless a gross mass is indicated in Columns (9A) or (9B) ofthe § 172.101 table in
which case the total gross mass per package must be shown; or, for Class 7 materials, the
quantity of radioactive material must be shown by activity."
Question 2: For Air shipments, how do we declare the total net mass per package of the
hazardous materials on the shipping paper as required in 49 CFR 172.202(e)(6)?
136 Official Road Addison, IL 60101 Phone: 630.543.2797 Fax: 630.543.7014 www.strongtie.com

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SIMPSON
For placarding purposes, please define "aggregate gross weight of hazardous materials" as
referenced in 49 CFR 172.504(b) & 172.504( c).
Question 3: Do we list the weight on the shipping paper (Bill of Lading) of the whole package
(the 1 gallon of hazardous and 1 gallon of non-hazardous material) as 22 lbs. or do we list it as
only the weight of the Part B hazardous material (1 0 lbs.) plus the packaging (e.g. 2 lbs.) and
skip the 10 lbs. of the Part A 1 gallon non-hazardous material so the weight would be (12lbs.)?
Question 4: If pallet and stretch wrap were used, do we need to include these weights as part of
the aggregate gross weight?
Thank you in advance for your time and input on these questions. Any guidance you may give is
greatly appreciated and we look forward to your response. Please contact me at
dtnguyen@strongtie.com or 630-613-5120 ifthere is a need for clarification to adequately
address these questions.
Sincerely,
Denise Nguyen
QC Chemist
Simpson Strong Tie Company, Inc.
136 Official Road
Addison IL, 60 1 0 1
136 Official Road Addison, IL 60101 Phone: 630.543.2797 Fax: 630.543.7014 www.strongtie.com
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