# Kriska Transportation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 13-0081
- **title:** Kriska Transportation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2013-07-10
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 13-0081 response to Kriska Transportation concerning 172.600, 172.602.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0081.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0081.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0081
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130081.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
JUL 1 0 2013
Mr. Bob Duncan
Kriska Transportation
300 Churchill Road
P.O. Box 879
Prescott, Canada
Ref. No. 13-0081
Dear Mr. Duncan:
This responds to your April 12, 2013 request for clarification on the emergency response
information requirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts
171-180). Specifically, you request clarification on who is responsible for supplying the
emergency response information (ERI) and the permitted methods to comply with § § 172.600
and 172.602. Your questions are answered as follows:
Q 1. It is your understanding that it is the shipper's responsibility to supply a Material
Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) that includes the emergency response information for the
materials shipped attached to the shipping paper. Is this understanding correct?
A 1. Section 172.600(b) requires persons who offer for transportation, accept for
transportation, transfer or otherwise handle hazardous materials during transportation
to provide emergency response information including an emergency response
telephone number. Therefore, the responsibility to provide emergency response
information is not solely the offeror. This responsibility is shared by those who offer,
accept, transfer or otherwise handle hazardous materials during transportation and
must be completed prior to offering hazardous materials into transportation. An
MSDS that includes the emergency response information, although not required, is
one form of information that may be used to satisfy the emergency response
information requirements.
Q2. It is your understanding that if the shipper does not supply an MSDS with the
emergency response information for the materials shipped attached to the shipping
paper then a copy of the ERG must be supplied. Is this understanding correct?
A2. Section 172.602(a)(l) requires that the emergency response information to contain
the basic description and technical name ofthe hazardous material as required by
§§ 172.202 and 172.203(k). Section 172.602(b)(3) requires that the emergency response
information is presented (i) on a shipping paper; (ii) in a document, other than a shipping
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paper, that includes both the basic description and technical name ofthe hazardous
material (e.g. material safety data sheet); or (iii) related to the information on a shipping
paper, in a separate document (e.g., an emergency response guidance document such as
the ERG), in a manner that cross references the description of the hazardous material on
the shipping paper with the emergency response information contained in the document.
If a guide number page from the ERG is used, it must include the basic description and, if
applicable, the technical name of the hazardous material. However, if the entire ERG is
present on the transport vehicle, the requirements of§ 172.602 are satisfied.
Q3. It is your understanding that effective January 1, 2013 if no MSDS with the
emergency response information for the materials shipped is attached to it is supplied
with the shipping paper, then a photocopy of the ERG must be placed on top of the
shipping paper and placing the shipping paper into the appropriate page of the ERG is
no longer acceptable. Is this understanding correct?
A3. For your information, PHMSA has not published any final rules on emergency
response information requirements effective January I, 2013. However, the most recent
rulemaking on emergency response information and communication, was a final rule
published on October 19, 2009, entitled "Revision of Requirements for Emergency
Response Telephone Numbers" (74 FR 53413). The effective date of this final rule was
October I, 2010 (74 FR 54489). With regard to the permitted manner to communicate
emergency response information see A2.
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please call this office on
(202) 366-8553.
Sincerely,
/?4-0~
Robert Benedict
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

prakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Friday, April12, 2013 5:08PM
l ~-oo?S I
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
FW: Feedback: General Questions/Comments Regarding the PHMSA Enforcement Program
Hi Carolyn,
This caller requested we submit his e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria
-----Original Message-----
From: PHMSA Webmaster
Sent: Friday, April12, 2013 1:49 PM
To: HM-Enforcement (PHMSA); PHMSA Webmaster
Subject: Feedback: General Questions/Comments Regarding the PHMSA Enforcement Program
U.S. Department of Transportation
Hazmat Specialist
Dear Adam:
Back in mid February 2013, I reached out to you regarding the responsibility of supplying the Emergency Response
Information for the shipping papers. At that time you had supplied me with a letter dated October 17, 1996, your
reference number 96-1039. Although this does explain that providing the emergency response paperwork it is the
responsibility or the shipper, we have one particular US based company that refuses to comply stating that letter is 7years
old and the regulations have changed since then.
They're a large Hazmat manufacturer and have informed us that we are the only company that is requesting the
information and their experts inform them that they are compliant.
Because they refuse to supply the documents and our drivers are not permitted to use the photopcopier, they are forced
to drive bobtail (without the trailer) 20 miles to a truck stop so we can obtain the proper ERG documents.
We were surprised to hear that we are the only company asking for this information to be supplied especially considering
that it is a U.S. regulation and we're a Canada based carrier. We have tried, sent them a copy of your letter as well as
information regarding the regulation its self yet they refuse to adhere to the regulations. They continue to state that it is
not their responsibility, it's the carrier's.
This is the Response we received from the customer:
" meets the requirements by providing the shipping papers with UN numbers listed and requiring that the driver
has a copy of the Emergency Response Guide in the vehicle. The UN number is referenced in the ERG and provides the
required information for emergency response.
I would offer a suggestion, in line with what I understand our policy has been, the driver must have a copy of the ERG
book in his vehicle so that he has the information available. This avoids multiple duplication of the pages for each
shipment. Due the high volume of different products that ship_s, this is the only means that can support
at this time. '"'
1

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As we understand the new rule which came into effect January 1, 2013, if no MSDS sheet is supplied with an ERG
attached. Then a photo copy must be made and placed on top of the Bill of Lading and that tabbing the BOL into the ERG
section of the Hazmat book was no longer acceptable.
Could you please supply us with a written response to this letter that explains that it is the shipper responsibility to supply
a MSDS sheet that includes the Emergence Response document attached to the shipping papers for the UN numbers
being shipped, or if no MSDS supplied with the ER attached that a copy of the ERG must be supplied?
This will help us with the compliance of the shipment and speed up the process for us. We feel that we are losing a battle
that should be straight forward and very surprised that a large company is not on top of this issue.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Regards
Bob Duncan
Driver Training Coordinator
Kriska Transportation
rduncan@kriska.com
1 (800) 461-8000 ext 2386
Name: Bob Duncan
Organization: Kriska Transportation
Email: rduncan@kriska.com
Address: 300 Churchill Road, PO Box 879
City: Prescott
Phone: 1(800)461-8000 ext 2386
Country: Canada
FAX:
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