{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0229","title":"The Chlorine Institute — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-04-16","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0229 response to The Chlorine Institute concerning 179.100, 179.15.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0229.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0229.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0229","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/140229.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nWashington, DC 20590\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nPipeline and Hazardous\nAdministration\nMaterials Safety\nAPR 1 6 2015\nMs. Robyn Kinsley\nDirector, Transportation\nThe Chlorine Institute\n1300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 525\nArlington, VA 22209\nReference No. 14-0229\nDear Ms. Kinsley:\nThis is in response to your November 18, 2014 letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) relating to a tell-tale\nindicator on a combination pressure relief device for a rail tank car. You ask if, in\naccordance with HMR § 179.100-13(a) the outlet for a tell-tale indicator which has a\nthreaded outlet must be closed with an approved screw plug during transportation.\nThe requirement to close a tell-tale indicator having a threaded outlet with an approved\nscrew plug does apply. The requirements for pressure relief devices are found in HMR\n§ 179.15. For a combination pressure relief system, § 179.15(e)(2) requires that a tell-tale\nindicator be closed during transportation. The combination pressure relief system\ndesigned with a tell-tale indicator must be in compliance with the AAR approved design\nwhen utilizing a screw plug in the closed position.\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nDuane A. Pfund\nInternational Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nBabick\n(79.156)(2)\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\n129.100-13\nFrom:\nSent:\nCiccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)\nTo:\nWednesday, November 19, 2014 1:43 PM\nPressin relif denices\nSubject:\nHazmat Interps\nAttachments:\nFW: Requests for Interpretation\n14-0229\n2014-10-18 - PHMSA Interpretation Request - CL2 TC PRD Tell-Tale.pdf; 2014-10-18 -\nPHMSA Interpretation Request - Package Securement.pdf\nShante/Alice,\nPlease submit these for formal letters of interpretation. Note that there are two separate requests attached.\nThanks,\nMike\nFrom: Robyn Kinsley [mailto:rkinsley@CL2.com]\nSent: Wednesday, November 19, 2014 11:30 AM\nTo: PHMSA HM InfoCenter\nSubject: Requests for Interpretation\nyou have any questions.\nPlease find attached two requests for interpretation from The Chlorine Institute. Please do not hesitate to contact me if\nRegards,\nRobyn Kinsley\nwww.chlorineinstitute.org\nRobyn Kinsley | Director, Transportation | The Chlorine Institute | Arlington, VA | (703.894.4123 | rkinsley@CL2.com |\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nTHE CHLORINE INSTITUTE\nTHE CHLORINE INSTITUTE\n1300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 525, Arlington, VA 22209\nTel 703-894-4140\nFax 703-894-4130\nwww.chlorineinstitute.org\nNovember 18, 2014\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nATTN: PHH-10\nUS Department of Transportation\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Ave., SE\nWashington, DC 20590\n• RE: Request for Interpretation - Tell-Tale Indicator Securement on Pressure Relief Devices\nThe Chlorine Institute ('CI\" or the \"Institute\") is a 193 member, not-for-profit trade association\nof chlorine producers worldwide, as well as chlorine packagers, distributors, users, and\nsuppliers. The Institute's North American Producer members account for more than 93 percent\nof the total chlorine production capacity of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Chlorine, a Division\n2.3 toxic-by-inhalation hazardous (TIH) material, is used throughout the U.S. economy and is\nkey to the protection of public health.\nRecently, a DOT site inspection at one of our members' facilities prompted some questions\nrelated to combination pressure relief devices (PRDs) installed on chlorine tank cars.\nSpecifically, our question is with regard to the tell-tale indicator and how the requirements of\n49 CFR 179.15(e)(2) and 179.100-13(a) are specifically applicable to the tell-tale indicator.\n49 CFR 179.15(e) (2) states:\n\"...A device must be installed to detect any accumulation of pressure between the\nrupture disc and the reclosing pressure relief valve. The detection device must be a\nneedle valve, trycock or tell-tale indicator. The detection device must be closed during\ntransportation.\" (emphasis added)\n49 CFR 179.100-13(a) states:\n\"... Valve outlets shall be closed with approved screw plugs or other closures fastened\nto prevent misplacement.\" (emphasis added)\nIt is clear to industry that all valves used for venting, loading, unloading, measuring or sampling\nmust be closed and all outlets should be closed with screw plugs or other closures for transport.\nHowever, tell-tale indicators do not serve the same purpose as the service equipment\naddressed by §179.100-13. Tell-tale indicators are typically very small needle valves, which may\nor may not have a threaded outlet, that are used as leak detection features but are not directly\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nCI Request for Interpretation - PRD Tell-Tale Requirements\nNovember 18, 2014\nPage 2 of 3\nexposed to the product in the tank. The requirement addressed in §179.15(e)(2) only generally\nnotes that the device must be closed, and industry interprets this to mean that only the needle\nvalve must be closed. Therefore, our question is:\nFor those combination PRDs having a tell-tale indicator installed which has a threaded\noutlet machined in the side, is the threaded outlet also required to be closed with a\nscrew plug during transportation?\nIt is understood that the primary closure of the tell-tale indicator must be closed for\ntransportation. Does that action alone achieve compliance with §179.15(e)(2)? Or must the\nsecondary threaded outlet on the tell-tale, if one exists, also be closed by means of a screw plug\nor other closure? Please see the attached schematic for a sample of this type of tell-tale\nindicator.\nOur members are stewards of the safe handling of hazardous materials packages, and they\nstrive to achieve compliance with the hazardous materials transportation regulations. Further\nclarification on this particular issue would greatly help that effort.\nThank you for your time on this matter.\nSincerely,\nRestiney\nRobyn Kinsley\nDirector, Transportation\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nCI Request for Interpretation - PRD Tell-Tale Requirements\nNovember 18, 2014\nPage 3 of 3\n31)\n4 5/8 DIA.\nREF.\n15)\n24\n10\n9/16\nTell-Tale\nIndicator -\n(closed\n1/8\" valve\nposition)\n•1/8* NPT\n1/8\"\n(e3\noutlet\nthreaded\n26)\nIN 6104A HAS\n115055:203\n30\nOF\nCLDCATED AT CORNERS\n6' SQUARE FLANGE).\n- 2.245-\n$.003\nDIA","truncated":false,"body_characters":6339}