{"operation":"document","citation":"15-0024","title":"Hazardous Materials Response Unit — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-09-08","effective_on":null,"summary":"15-0024 response to Hazardous Materials Response Unit concerning 172.500, 172.502, 172.504.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0024.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0024.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0024","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150024.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashington. DC 20590\nPipeline and Hazardous\nAdministration\nMaterials Safety\nSEP 0 8 2015\nOfficer Daniel Voelker\nArizona Department of Public Safety\nHazardous Materials Response Unit\n2102 W. Encanto Blvd, Mail Drop 4011\nPhoenix, AZ 85009\nRef. No. 15-0024\nDear Officer Voelker:\nThis responds to your February 2, 2015 email requesting clarification of placarding\nrequirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).\nSpecifically, you request further clarification on the use of the DANGEROUS placard as\ndescribed in interpretation letter Ref. No. 14-0031.\nLetter Ref. No. 14-0031 addresses a scenario in which a transport vehicle containing non-\nbulk quantities of Class 3 flammable liquid and combustible liquid displays a DANGEROUS\nplacard instead of the separate placards specified for each of the materials. PHMSA's stated\nposition in the letter is that this is acceptable; and furthermore, a COMBUSTIBLE placard is\nnot required for combustible liquids in non-bulk packaging (§ 172.500(b)(6)). Additionally,\na placard may be displayed for a hazardous material, even when not required, provided the\nplacarding is carried out in conformance with Part 172, Subpart F.\nYou request reconsideration of our position in letter Ref. No. 14-0031 and believe use of the\nDANGEROUS placard is not authorized because there is only one category of hazardous\nmaterial in Table 2 of § 172.504 requiring placards. Therefore, it is not permissive placarding\nunder § 172.502(c) because it does not otherwise conform to the placarding requirements of\nthe Subpart; specifically § 172.504(b).\nYour understanding is not correct. The response in letter Ref. No. 14-0031 is consistent with\nthe HMR requirements in Part 172, Subpart F. The general placarding requirements in\n§ 172.504(a) require each bulk packaging, freight container, unit load device, transport\nvehicle or railcar containing any quantity of hazardous material to be placarded with the\nplacards specified in Tables 1 and 2 of that section. Table 2 includes a placard for both\nflammable and combustible liquids. While § 172.500(b)(6) provides an exception from\nplacarding for combustible liquids in non-bulk packagings, a placard may be displayed for a\nhazardous material, even when not required in accordance with permissive placarding\ndescribed in § 172.502(c). Similarly, a DANGEROUS placard may be displayed for two or\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nmore categories of hazardous materials that have different placards specified, even when\nneither is required to be placarded.\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this Office\nat 202-366-8553.\nSincerely\nActing Chief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nBoothe\n5172.504(b)\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nplacardys\nFrom:\nSent:\nCiccarone, Michael CTR (PHMSA)\nTo:\nHazmat Interps\nMonday, February 02, 2015 11:16 AM\nSubject:\nFW: Request for Interpretation\nShante/Alice,\nPlease submit this for a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nMike\nFrom: Daniel L Voelker [mailto:DVOELKER@AZDPS.GOV]\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent: Saturday, January 31, 2015 7:02 PM\nSubject: Request for Interpretation\nTo:\nPHEMSA's Office of the Chief Counsel\nFrom:\nOfficer Daniel Voelker\nArizona Department of Public Safety\n2102 W Encanto BLVD Mail Drop 4011\nPhoenix, AZ 85009\nSubject:\nRequest for Review of Interpretation 14-0031\nIn interpretation #14-0031 you stated:\n\"In accordance with § 172.504(b), a freight container, unit load device, transport vehicle, or rail car which\ncontains non-bulk packages with two or more categories of hazardous materials that require different\nplacards specified in table 2 of § 172.504(e) may be placarded with a DANGEROUS placard instead of the\nseparate placarding specified for each of the materials. Section 172.500(b)(6) states that \"placarding does not\napply to combustible liquids in non-bulk packaging.\" However, § 172.502(c) states \"placards may be displayed\nfor a hazardous material, even when not required, if the placarding otherwise conforms to the requirements\nof this subpart.\" It is your understanding that displaying a DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle\ncontaining Table 2 Class 3 flammable liquid and Table 2 combustible liquid (both in non-bulk packages) is\npermissible under the HMR.\nYour understanding is correct. A COMBUSTIBLE placard is not required for combustible liquids in non-bulk\npackaging (§ 172.500 (b)(6)). However, a placard may be displayed for a hazardous material, even when not\nrequired, provided the placarding is carried out in conformance with Part 172, Subpart F.\nWe believe that the use of the Dangerous placard is only valid when \"TWO or MORE categories of hazardous\nmaterials that REQUIRE different placards specified in table 2\". Looking at the regulations you are not allowed\nto display the dangerous placard because there is only one categorie that requires placards, therefore, it does\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nnot conform to 172.502c because it does not conform to the requirements of 172.504b. We would like you to\nreconsider the answer provided in #14-0031 because the subject did not have two or more categories\nrequiring placards.\nThank you for taking your time to reconsider this issue.\nOfficer Daniel Voelker\nArizona Department of Public Safety\nHazardous Materials Response Unit\n(928) 203-6772\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":5410}