{"operation":"document","citation":"15-0118","title":"National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2016-01-06","effective_on":null,"summary":"15-0118 response to National Association of Fire Equipment Distributors concerning 172.301, 172.415, 173.309.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0118.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0118.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0118","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2016/150118.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJAN 0 6 2016\nMr. Norbert W. Makowka\nVice-President Technical\nNational Association of Fire Equipment Distributors\n180 North Wabash, Suite 401\nChicago, IL 60601\nReference No. 15-0118\nDear Mr. Makowka:\nThis is in response to your June 15, 2015 letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the transportation of\ncarbon dioxide fire extinguishers. Specifically, you ask if the extinguishers may be described\nas \"UN 1044, Fire extinguishers containing compressed or liquefied gas, 2.2 (non-flammable\ngas).\" If not, you ask what the correct identification number, proper shipping name, marking\nand labeling requirements are for these devices.\nYou state the fire extinguishers are:\n• Made of either steel or aluminum and meet the specification requirements for a\nDepartment of Transportation (DOT) Specification 3 series seamless cylinder;\n• Hand-held units with a 5, 10, 15, or 20 pound capacity, or are wheeled units with a 50\npound capacity;\n• Filled with 100 percent \"UN 1013, Carbon dioxide, 2.2\" to a 90 percent fill density;\n• Manufactured and tested in conformance with the following American National\nStandards Institute, Inc. (ANSI) /Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL), -\n\"Standard for Carbon-Dioxide Fire Extinguishers,\" ANSI/UL 154, CAN/ULC-\nS503, 2005, Revised 2010;\n• \"Binational Standard for Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers,\"\nANSI/UL 711 CAN/ULC-S508; and\n• Recognized in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) \"NFPA 10 Standard\nfor Portable Fire Extinguishers\"\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nUnder the HMR, a fire extinguisher must contain 30 percent or less carbon dioxide by volume\n(see § 173.309(a)). Based on the information you provided, the carbon dioxide in your fire\nextinguishers exceeds this limit by 70 percent. Therefore, your fire extinguishers must be\ndescribed as \"UN 1013, Carbon dioxide, 2.2,\" marked as prescribed in § 172.301, and labeled\nwith the NON-FLAMMABLE GAS label prescribed in § 172.415.\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nFilenn\naste\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n180 North Wabash, Suite 401\nNational Assoclation of Fire Equipment Distributors\nNAFED\nChicago, IL 60601\nSooneral\nTel (312) 461-9600\nFax (312) 461-0777\nWebsite www.nafed.org\nEdmonson\nJune 15, 2015\n$173.309\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standard\nHere Entinguishes\nAttention: PHH-10\n15-0118\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nRegarding: 49 CFR, Section 173.309\nTo whom it may concern:\nWhat are the correct shipping name, identification number, and labeling requirements for a\n\"carbon dioxide fire extinguisher\"? These \"extinguishers\" utilize a DOT 3 series steel or\naluminum specification cylinder and are filled with 100% carbon dioxide to a 90% fill density.\nThese \"carbon dioxide fire extinguishers\" are manufactured and tested in accordance with\nANSIUL 154, CAN/ULC-S504, Standard for Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers, 2005,\nRevised 2010; and ANSI/UL 711, CAN/ULC-S508, Standard for Rating and Fire Testing of\nFire Extinguishers, 2004, Revised 2009. They are available in 5, 10, 15, and 20 pound capacity\nhand-held units and 50 pound capacity units that are mounted on a wheeled assembly.\nThese are recognized in the National Fire Protection Association Standard 10, Standard for\nPortable Fire Extinguishers, which is the national consensus standard that has been adopted\nthroughout the United States and Canada. Carbon Dioxide \"fire extinguishers\" have been\nrecognized in various national regulations for decades as \"fire extinguishers\".\nMay these devices be transported, marked and labeled as Fire Extinguisher, UN 1044?\nIf not, what is the correct transportation, marking and labeling requirements?\nThank you for your consideration of this matter,\nNee Nihich\nNorbert W. Makowka\nVice-President Technical\nnorbm@nafed.org","truncated":false,"body_characters":4124}