{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0232","title":"Acro Trailer Company — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-01-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0232 response to Acro Trailer Company concerning 178.345.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0232.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0232.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0232","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/140232.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nof Transportation\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJAN 1 5 2015\nMr. Christopher Foshe\nAcro Trailer Company\n2320 North Packer Road\nSpringfield, MO 65803\nReference No. 14-0232\nDear Mr. Foshe:\nThis is in response to your November 17, 2014 e-mail and November 20, 2014 telephone\nconversation with a member of my staff requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials\nRegulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the specification plate\nrequirements for cargo tanks. You state your company manufactures new cargo tanks that\nmeet both the DOT 407 and DOT 412 design specifications. You ask if the HMR permit\nsuch cargo tanks to receive a variable specification plate that meets two different\nspecification design requirements. We have paraphrased your questions and answered them\nin the order you provided.\nQ1. Does the HMR allow a variable specification plate to be placed on a newly\nconstructed cargo tank that was originally rated for the maximum allowable working\npressure (MAWP) and constructed to meet both the DOT 407 and 412 design\nspecifications (e.g., DOT 407/412)? I have enclosed an example of a DOT 407/412\nvariable specification plate my company might use.\nAl.\nThe answer is yes. Newly constructed cargo tanks that meet two design\nspecifications must have a certificate signed by the responsible official of the\nmanufacturer and a Registered Inspector certifying that the cargo tank, its certificate\nof construction, and specification plates meet both specification requirements prior to\nmarking (see § 178.345-15(c)(2)).\nQ2.\nWhen a cargo tank is originally manufactured to meet two design specification\nrequirements, do the HMR require that the cargo tank must be marked with the\n\"variable specification\" plate prescribed in § 178.345-14(e), and must comply with\nthe certificate of compliance (COC) requirements in § 178.345-15(c)(2)?\nA2.\nThe HMR require the manufacturer of a specification cargo tank to mark the cargo\ntank with a nameplate and specification plate that comply with § 178.345-15(b) for\nspecification or American Society of Mechanical Engineers cargo tanks, and\n§ 178.345-15(c) for variable specification cargo tanks. Further, the HMR require the\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nmanufacturer provide a COC for each cargo tank's design type listed in § 178.345-\n15(b) that the cargo tank is constructed to meet (see §§ 178.345-14(a) and 178.345-\n15(c)(2)).\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nEdmonsar\n5/78-315-14 (b) (e)\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\n14-0232\nnaskin\nFrom:\nSent:\nEdmonson, Eileen (PHMSA)\nTo:\nThursday, November 20, 2014 3:50 PM\nSubject:\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA); Goodall, Shante CTR (PHMSA)\nFW: Code question on CFR 49. 178.345-14 (b)&(e)\nPlease log this letter in to me.\nThanks,\nUSDOT/PHMSA\nEileen Edmonson\n(202) 366-4481 (W)\n(202) 366-7041 (f)\nhttp://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat (website)\neileen.edmonson@dot.gov (e-mail)\ninfocntr@dot.gov (Hazmat Info Center E-mail)\nFrom: Chris Foshe [mailto:chris@acrotrailer.com]\nTo: Edmonson, Eileen (PHMSA)\nSent: Monday, November 17, 2014 3:02 PM\nSubject: Code question on CFR 49. 178.345-14 (b)&(e)\nGood afternoon Eileen\nI have a question over 178.345-14 (b) and (e).\na variable specification plate.\nAcro Trailer was a tank show and seen a tank that the nameplate was stamped, \"DOT407/412\" and did not have\nQ1. Can this be done when the tank is rated for the same MAWP for both 407 & 412? When nothing changes\nbetween the two codes because the unit meets the requirements under both codes as built, does the unit still\nrequire the \"variable specification\" plate discussed under 178.345-14(e), and the COC requirements under 178-\n345-15(2)?\nThanks\nChristopher Foshe\nAcro Trailer Co.\n2320 N Packer Rd.\nSpringfield, MO 65803\nToll Free: 800-589-5254\nPhone: 417-862-1758 ext. 15\nCell: 417-840-6558\nwww.acrotrailer.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":3998}