{"operation":"document","citation":"15-0074","title":"SGS North America, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-07-07","effective_on":null,"summary":"15-0074 response to SGS North America, Inc. concerning 173.212, 178.512.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0074.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0074.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0074","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150074.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nWashington, DC 20590\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJUL 0 9 2015\nMr. Jason Sherrier :\nLaboratory Manager\nSGS North America, Inc.\n291 Fairfield Ave\nFairfield, NJ 07004\nReference No. 15-0074\nDear Mr. Sherrier:\nThis is in response to your April 13, 2015 e-mail request regarding requirements under the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the use of\naluminum boxes. You note that you intend to offer a non-explosive PG III solid material in\na 4B aluminum box. Specifically, you ask if a 4B aluminum box can be certified without a\nliner being present.\nThe answer to your question is yes. In accordance with § 178.512(b) as a part of their\ngeneral design standards, aluminum boxes must be lined with fiberboard or felt packing\npieces or must have an inner liner or coating of suitable material in accordance with subpart\nC of part 173 of this subchapter. The intent of the reference to subpart C of part 173 of the\nHMR is to ensure that these lining or coating requirements are applicable only to boxes\nintended to transport explosives. In your incoming email you reference a 52 FR 67403\nrulemaking. There is no such Federal Register citation. Section 178.512 was amended by\nHM-215A (59 FR 67521) in December of 1994. The text provided in the preamble for\nproposed changes to § 178.512 in the HM-215A NPRM (59 FR 36498) states\n\"Standards for steel and aluminum boxes would be consolidated by removing the\ndistinction between unlined/uncoated steel or aluminum boxes and steel or aluminum\nboxes having an inner liner or coating. Therefore, both unlined and lined steel boxes\nwould be identified as 4A and unlined and lined aluminum boxes would be identified\nas 4B. Corresponding revisions would be reflected in the packaging authorizations\nof Part 173.\"\nExisting non-bulk packaging authorizations (e.g. § 173.212) for certain hazardous materials\nwill show single packaging authorizations for both \"Aluminum box: 4B\" and \"Aluminum\nbox with liner: 4B\". If the non-bulk packaging requirements section referenced in column\n8A for the material in question indicates an \"Aluminum box: 4B\" is an authorized single\npackaging the material may be offered in an aluminum box without a coating or liner.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nDuane Pfund\nInternational Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nvelo\n178.512(b)(2)\nGoodall, Shante CTR (PHMSA)\nParkaging Spirification\nFrom:\nGeller, Shelby CTR (PHMSA)\n15-0074\nSent:\nMonday, April 13, 2015 1:55 PM\nTo:\nHazmat Interps\nSubject:\nFW: Formal Interpretation Request\nAttachments:\n4B liner interp.pdf\nGood Afternoon Shante and Alice,\nAttached is a formal letter of interpretation. Please let me know if you need anything else.\nThanks,\nShelby Geller\nSent: Monday, April 13, 2015 10:29 AM'\nFrom: Sherrier, Jason (Fairfield) [mailto:Jason.Sherrier@sgs.com]\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSubject: Formal Interpretation Request\nGood Morning,\nPlease find my attached formal interpretation request and advise if anything else is needed. Thank you in\nadvance.\nJason Sherrier\nConsumer Testing Services\nLab Manager, Packaging & Building Materials\n291 Fairfield Ave\nSGS - North America\nFairfield, NJ 07004\nMain:\nMobile: +1 973-294-1412\nFax:\n+1 973-575-7175\n-1 973-461-7918\nE-mail: :jason.sherrier@sgs.com\nwww.sqs.com\nInformation in this email and any attachments is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual(s)\nto whom it is addressed or otherwise directed. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are\nsolely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Company. Finally, the recipient should\ncheck this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. The Company accepts no liability for any\ndamage caused by any virus transmitted by this email. All SGS services are rendered in accordance with the\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nSGS\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nEast Building, PHH-32\nPipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nApril 13'\n, 2015\nWashington, DC 20490-001\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nAttn:\nInfo Center\nliner is necessary for all metal boxes with reference to Rule 52 FR 67403.\nThe purpose of this letter is to request a formal interpretation of §178.512(b)(2) of the 49 CFR to determine if a\n(with gaskets) that is intended to transport a solid PG III, filter material. The intended PG III material is non\nThe container in question is a five sided canister type 4B aluminum box with a removable top and bottom plates\nend use of this product. No welds are present on this design so ingress of the material into any seam in not\nexplosive and a liner and or coating on the inside of the container described in §178.512(b)(2) interferes with the\nstacking.\npossible. The box was tested to a PG Ill and performed very well against the requirements for drop, vibration and\nWhen an informal question was asked to Transportation Specialist Michael Nicks, he directed me to Rule 52 FR\nformal interpretation.\n67403 which references \"unlined and lined\" aluminum boxes are identified as 4B however suggested I request a\nTo simplify my question, Can we certify this 4B aluminum box without a liner being present?\nThank you in advance.\nSIGNED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF\nSGS North America, Inc.\n08\nJason Sherrier\nCA2006080033 (+BA)\nLaboratory Manager\nSGS North America, inc..\nConsumer Testing Services 291 Fairfield Avenue, Fairfield, NJ 07004 t (973) 575-5252 1(973) 575-8271 www.sgs.com/\nMember of the SGS Group (Societe Génerale de Surveilance\"\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\napplicable SGS conditions of service available on request and accessible at http://www.sgs.com/en/Terms-\nand-Conditions.aspx\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":5836}