{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0017","title":"URS Corporation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-05-12","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0017 response to URS Corporation concerning 173.185.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0017.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0017.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0017","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140017.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAqministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMAY 1 2 1014\nMr. Andrew Romach\nRegulatory Compliance Manager\nURS Corporation\n1600 Perimeter Park Drive\nMorrisville, NC 27560\nRef. No.: 14-0017\nDear Mr. Romach:\nThis is in response to your January 21, 2014letter requesting clarification of requirements in\nthe Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the\ntransport of prototype lithium batteries. Specifically, you ask if a prototype lithium battery\ncan be offered for transport and transported by vessel in accordance with special provision\n310 ofthe International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.\nProvided all or part of the movement is by vessel, prototype lithium batteries may be\ntransported in conformance with the requirements of special provision 310 of the IMDG Code\nand all applicable requirements of Part 171, Subpart C. Special provision 310 ofthe IMDG\nCode states that the testing requirements in chapter 38.3 of the UN Manual of Tests and\nCriteria do not apply to production runs consisting of not more than 1 00 lithium cells and\nbatteries, or to pre-production prototypes of lithium cells and batteries when these prototypes\nare transported for testing, if:\n1. The cells and batteries are transported in an outer packaging that is a metal, plastics or\nplywood drum or a metal, plastics, or wooden box and that meets the criteria for Packing\nGroup I packagings; and\n2. Each cell and battery is individually packed in an inner packaging inside an outer\npackaging and is surrounded by cushioning material that is non-combustible and non-\nconductive.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nf'1 ~ c \\ .J. ·~ ty·,, -\n~\\.-cJ ..\n- .JJ....J-\")\nShane C. Kelley ·\nActing International Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nJanuary 21, 2014\nMr. Charles Betts, Division Director\nStandards and Rulemaking (PHH-1 0)\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEast Building, 2nd Floor\n1200 New Jersey Ave., SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nDear Mr. Betts:\nI am writing to request a Department of Transportation (DOT) interpretation concerning the requirements\nfor shipping a prototype lithium battery by marine transport under the International Maritime Dangerous\nGoods (IMDG) Code.\n49 CFR 173.185(e) provides an exception from Chapter 38.3 of the United Nations Manual ofTests and\nCriteria for shipment of prototype lithium batteries by ground transport if certain packaging requirements\nare met. However, this exception lists ground transport only and does not list marine transport.\nIMDG Chapter 3.3, Special Provision (SP) 310 incorporates the identical exception as 49 CFR 173.185(e)\nand allows exception from Chapter 38.3 of the United Nations Manual ofTests and Criteria for shipment\nof prototype lithium batteries by marine transport if certain packaging requirements are met.\nBased on verbal guidance provided by Adam at the DOT HAZMAT Hotline, he stated that 49 CFR\n171.22 authorizes the use of the IMDG Code, and 49 CFR 171.25 does not prohibit the use of the IMDG\nCode for transportation of prototype lithium battery. Therefore, DOT would allow prototype lithium ion\nbatteries to be shipped under the IMDG Code following the provisions of IMDG Chapter 3.3, SP 310.\nPlease conftrm that DOT would allow prototype lithium ion batteries to be shipped by marine under the\nIMDG Code following the provisions of IMDG Chapter 3 .3, SP 310.\nFrom a United Nations Harmonization standpoint, it would assist the shipper if a regulatory change could\nbe made to add marine shipment into 49 CFR 173.185(e), as the exceptions for shipping prototype lithium\nbatteries by DOT ground and IMDG marine are identical.\nSincerely,\nAndrew N. Romach\nRegulatory Compliance Manager\nURS Corporation\nURS Corporation\n1600 Perimeter Park Drive Morrisville, NC 27560\nTel: 919.461.1220\nFax: 919.461.1371\nandy.romach@urs.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":4097}