{"operation":"document","citation":"13-0230","title":"Universal Well Services, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-01-27","effective_on":null,"summary":"13-0230 response to Universal Well Services, Inc. concerning 172.502.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0230.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0230.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0230","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130230.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\nJAN 2 7 2014\nMr. Tom Cloud\nUniversal Well Services, Inc.\n18360 Technology Drive\nBox4\nMeadville, PA 16335\nRef. No. 13-0230\nDear Mr. Cloud:\nThis responds to your November 19, 2013, request for clarification of the placarding\nrequirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nSpecifically, you ask if placing a sign to designate a non-hazardous material being transported\nin a placard holder is authorized under the HMR.\nIn your incoming letter, you state that you intend to use a placard holder to indicate a non-\nhazardous material, a type of sand, being transported on sand haulers. The placard holder will\nbe positioned in a square rather than a square-on-point orientation. You will insert clear\nplexiglass with the grade of sand printed on the plaxiglass into the placard holder (See\nenclosed photographs). The purpose of the sign is, during the unloading process, to alert the\ndriver of a vehicle behind the sand hauler of the specific type sand to be unloaded. You ask if\nthis is authorized under the HMR.\nSection 172.502(a)(2) provides that: [N]o person may affix or display on a packaging, freight\ncontainer, unit load device, motor vehicle or rail car. .. any sign, advertisement, slogan (such\nas \"Drive Safely\"), or device that, by its color, design, shape, or content, could be confused\nwith any placard prescribed in this subpart.\nThis prohibition is intended to limit the potential dilution of hazard communication provided\nby the appropriate hazardous materials placards. The display described in your letter and\nshown in the enclosed photographs is not similar to hazardous materials placards, and would\nnot be confused with prescribed placards in the HMR. Therefore, the display described in\nyour letter and shown in the enclosed photographs would not be prohibited under\n§ 172.502( a)(2).\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office\nat (209)366-8553.\nSincerely,\n7~23~\nRobert Benedict\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n'Eco-1-he\nBllZ-· 51~,\n171 a Ctlrd' ~C1 ()\nREQUEST FOR INTERPRETATION FROM PHMSA - PLACARD HOLDER FOR SAND SIGN I\n. 3-l)~3\nUniversal Well Services, Inc. is a pressure pumping company in the oil and gas field industry.\nWe transport hazardous materials. We have a regulation placard holder that we want to use as a holder\nfor our sand haulers. The sign within the holder will designate the type of sand being hauled. We\ntransport three different grades of sand. The sign within the holder will be placed on the lower rear of\nthe sand hauler (see enclosed photo). It will be placed on the vehicle not in square on point (as a\nhazmat placard would), so as not to be confused with a hazmat placard.\nThe purpose of the sign is to alert the driver of the pumper vehicle behind it that the sand it will be\nreceiving from the hauler is the correct type for the job stage coming up.\nThe insert into the placard holder is a clear plexiglass. The grade of sand is printed on the plexiglass. A\nphoto is attached as an illustration.\nIS USING THE PLACARD HOLDER IN THIS MANNER IN CONFLICT WITH THE HAZMAT REGULATIONS OR\nDO WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF HOLDER SO AS TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION?\n. I\nl!v.L..,.. t/i:f;.( 5'1/ L t,j ElL 5 6f tlzz.;JE ~ ~ v' C,\nI ~3 &D 1 Ecf/t/tiLtJb-y JJ/?.\n1 Box')/\n!JJE/)DJCtlE ~4 lb33C;-\n/\n---- ------------------\n----------\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nBAND\nSAMO\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nTom Cloud\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nChuck Curry\nMonday, November 04, 2013 11 :53 AM\nTom Cloud\nPies\nSent from the Samsung Galaxy Rugby Pro, an AT&T LTE smartphone\n.j\n.I\nl\n- .f--- -\n1","truncated":false,"body_characters":3796}