# Northland Services, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 15-0107
- **title:** Northland Services, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2016-03-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 15-0107 response to Northland Services, Inc. concerning 176.140, 176.144, 176.410.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0107.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0107
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2016/150107.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
MAR 1 7 2016
Mr. Scott McElhoe
Northland Services, Inc.
6700 W. Marginal Way SW
Seattle, WA 98106
Ref. No. 15-0107
Dear Mr. McElhoe:
This is a response to your April 15, 2015 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) with regard to the segregation of
hazardous materials for vessel transport. Specifically, you request clarification on vessel
stowage of "UNO332, Agent blasting, Type E, Division 1.5D" material and a "UN1942,
Ammonium nitrate, Division 5.1" material in accordance with § 176.410(e) of the HMR.
Your questions are paraphased and answered as follows:
Q1. For vessel transport, can "UN0332, Agent blasting, Type E, Division 1.5D" material be
stowed in the same freight container as "UN1942, Ammonium nitrate, Division 5.1" material?
Al. The answer is yes. In accordance with § 176.410(e), ammonium nitrate and ammonium
nitrate fertilizers classed as Division 5.1 (oxidizers) materials may be stowed in the same
hold, compartment, magazine, or freight container with Class 1 (explosive) materials, except
those containing chlorates, in accordance with the segregation and separation requirements of
§ 176.144 applying to "Explosive, blasting, type B, Division 1.5D" and "Explosive, blasting,
type E, Division 1.5D" (i.e.., Blasting agents). That is, the ammonium nitrate and ammonium
nitrate fertilizers may be treated as Division 1.5D explosives and follow the
§ 176.144 segregation and separation requirements for Class 1 (explosive) materials.
Q2. If so, is segregation required between a freight container of "UN1942, Ammonium
nitrate, Division 5.1" material and a freight container of UN0332, Agent blasting, Type E,
Division 1.5D?"
A2. The answer is no. Based on the § 176.410(e) allowance to treated the ammonium nitrate
be stowed in the same hold or compartment.
as Division 1.5D explosives, the freight containers are not required to be segregated and may

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Note that whether stowed in the same freight container or separate freight containers, the
entire load of material you described in your scenario must be treated as Division 1.5D
blasting explosives in accordance with § 176.140(b).
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to
contact this office again.
Sincerely
Nationte
Dirk Der Kinderen
Chief, Standards Development
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Suchak
$176.41012)
Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)
clan
From:
15-0107
Sent:
Geller, Shelby CTR (PHMSA)
Tuesday, April 21, 2015 10:22 AM
To:
Hazmat Interps
Subject:
FW: Formal Letter of interpretation
Dear Shante and Alice,
Attached is a formal letter of interpretation request. Mr. McElhoe spoke with Jordan Rivera. His mailing address is:
Scott McElhoe
Northland Services Inc.
6700 W. Marginal Way SW
Seattle, WA 98106.
Thanks,
Shelby
From: Scott McElhoe [mailto:smcelhoe@Lynden.com]
To: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Sent: Wednesday, April 15, 2015 2:35 PM
Subject: Formal Letter of interpretation
Mailing addressed requested 4/16/2015 ta 12:57 pm
Am I correct to interpret 49 CFR 176.410(e) that UN0332, Agent blasting Type E, 1.5D, II, may be stowed in the same
freight container as UN1942, Ammonium nitrate, 5.1, III? If so, is segregation required between a freight container of
UN0332 and a freight container of UN1942?
Regards,
Scott Me Elhoe, CSP
Assistant General Manager
Northland Services Inc.
(206) 892-2788
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