{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0227","title":"FedEx Express — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-04-17","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0227 response to FedEx Express concerning 172.202.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0227.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0227.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0227","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/140227.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nWashington, DC 20590\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nSafety Administration\nMr. Marvin Sudduth\nMAR 1 7 2015\nFedEx Express\n3670 Hacks Cross Rd.\nBuilding G, 2nd Floor\nMemphis, TN 38125\nReference No.\n14-022\nDear Mr. Sudduth:\nThis is in response to your November 18, 2014 letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) regarding rounding\nhazardous materials quantity totals on shipping papers. You note that your company is\nworking on a customer automation platform that will assist in generating shipping papers\nfor both air and ground transportation. You further note that the system supports net and\ngross weight to the hundredths (two decimal places) and that customers would be required\nto round up the net or gross weight to two decimal places. You state that FedEx believes\nthat rounding hazmat quantity totals to two decimal places is compliant with\n§ 172.202(a)(5) and (6), and seek PHMSA's confirmation of the same.\nNeither § 172.202(a)(5) or (6) provide an allowance for shippers to round up either the net\nor gross quantity of a hazardous material being offered. However, it is the opinion of this\noffice that providing quantities to the second decimal place, when rounded up to 0.01 for\nquantities less than 0.01 provides sufficient notification of the minute quantity of hazardous\nmaterial being offered for transportation in a package or consignment. Such a practice\nwould be in compliance with § 172.202(a)(5) and (6).\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nshre C-Hey\nShane C. Kelley\nActing International Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n3670 Hacks Cross Road\nCorporate Safcty\nTelephone 901.434.9556\nBuilding G, 2°° Floor\nFax 901.434.9769\nMemphis, TN 38125-8800\nFedEx®\nWebb\nExpress\n8172.202 (a) (5)(6)\nNovember 18, 2014\nStupping Papers\nMr. Charles E. Betts\n14-0227\nDirector\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd. Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nTotals On a Shipping Paper\nRe: Request for Letter of Interpretation Regarding Rounding of Hazmat Quantity\nDear Mr. Betts:\nThe purpose of this communication is to request a Letter of Interpretation regarding the\nlisting of rounded hazardous materials quantity totals on a hazmat shipping paper. The\nregulatory reference that is affected by this question is 49 CFR 172.202 (a) (5) and (6). We\nwere not able to find any guidance in the regulations or through any previous PHMSA\ninterpretation regarding the specificity required for the net or gross weight on a shipping\npaper.\nFedEx is working with customers in developing a customer automation platform that will\nassist in generating shipping papers for both air and ground transportation. The platform\nsupports net and gross weight specificity to the hundredths (two decimal places) and\ncustomers would be required to round up net or gross weight to two decimal places.\nExample: 0.002L would be rounded to 0.01L or 0.002kg would be rounded up to 0.01kg\nWe understand that the intent of the regulatory guidance communicated in 49 CFR 172.202\n(a) (5) and (6) is for the shipper to accurately and completely communicate the net or gross\nquantity of a hazmat commodity packaged into a single container on a shipping paper.\nFedEx believes that rounding hazmat quantity totals to two decimal places is compliant with\nthe intent of 49 CFR 172.202 (a)(5) and (6) and is seeking PHMSA's confirmation of the\nsame.\n1 look forward to your response. Should you have any questions or require additional\ninformation please do not hesitate to contact me.\nSudders\nMarvin Sudduth\nManager\nDangerous Goods Administration\nOffice: 901-434-9566\nFax: 901-434-9769\nmasudduth@fedex.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":3879}