# The Sulphur Institute — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 18-0133
- **title:** The Sulphur Institute — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2019-03-06
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 18-0133 response to The Sulphur Institute concerning 172.101, 172.325.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0133.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0133.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0133
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/70856/180133.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
MAR O 6 2019
Mr. Craig Jorgenson
Vice President, Transportation and Regulatory Affairs
The Sulphur Institute
1020 19th Street NW, Suite 520
Washington, DC 20036
Reference No. 18-0133
Dear Mr. Jorgenson:
This letter is in response to your October 22, 2018, email requesting clarification of the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the use of
alternative spellings for proper shipping names as outlined in § 172.101 ( c )( 1 ). You seek to
clarify that the alternate spellings apply to Subparts A through I, and are inclusive of Appendices
A through Din Part 172 and all parts of Subchapter C. Specifically, you ask if"sulfur" and
"sulphur" are equally acceptable spellings for use on shipping papers, labels, and markings for
hazardous materials packages.
The answer to your question is yes, so long as whichever alternative spelling is used to identify
the hazardous material, is used consistently. Section 172.l0l(c)(l) states that words may be
alternatively spelled in the same manner as they appear in the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
or the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, and provides the example that
"sulfur" may be spelled "sulphur." These instructions for the purpose and scope of the
Hazardous Materials Table (HMT; §.172.101) serve as the basis for all hazardous materials
communication in Part 172, to include shipping papers, marking, labeling, and placarding. Even
though the specific example of "sulphur" as an alternative spelling to "sulfur" is not continually
used throughout the HMR-including in the bulk packaging marking requirements for elevated
temperature materials in§ 172.325(b)-these alternative spellings are recognized for all
hazardous materials communications.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

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THE
SULPHUR
INSTITUTE
l<? - 0\2>3
October 22, 2018
Mr. Shane Kelley
Standards and Rulemaking Division, Attn: PHH-10
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation, East Building
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Kelley,
The Sulphur Institute (TSI) is requesting your office provide an interpretation regarding the use
of allowable alternative spellings for proper shipping names as outlined in 49 CFR §
172.101(c)(1). Specifically, we would like to clarify that "sulfur" <
1l and "sulphur'' are equally
acceptable spellings for use on shipping papers as well as labeling and markings for hazardous
material packages.
The general provisions of Subpart A to Part 172 of the Hazardous Materials Regulation (HMR)
outlined in 49 CFR § 172.1, "prescribes the requirements for shipping papers, package marking,
labeling, and transport vehicle placarding applicable to the shipment and transportation of those
hazardous materials."
Shippers, offerers, carriers, as well as state and federal inspectors, may misinterpret the earlier
references to alternative spellings to proper shipping names if solely referencing a single citation
for markings that apply to elevated temperature materials. The example in §172.325 shows only
one spelling for "sulfur'' without the acceptable alternative spelling of "sulphur'' referenced earlier
in§ 172.101(c)(1).
We appreciate your assistance in clarifying that an alternate spelling for proper shipping names
applies to Subpart A through Subpart I and inclusive of Appendices A through D in Part 172, as
well as a// parts of Subchapter C of the HMR.
If you have any questions, I can be reached at cjorgenson@sulphurinstitute.org or 202-296-
2794. Thank you.
Sincerely,
/) 1
C/vAJ ~ Y? -
/, l
Craig Jergens n
Vice President, Transportation and Regulatory Affairs
The Sulphur Institute
(l) Listed in 49 § CFR 172.101 , Hazardous Materials Table under UN2448 and UN1350
1020 19th Street NW• Suite 520 • Washington, DC 20036 • T: +1 202 331 9660 • F: +1202293 2940 • www.Sulphurlnstitute.org

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)
From: Kelley, Shane (PHMSA)
Sent: To:
Cc:
Monday, October 22, 2018 4:15 PM
January, Ikeya CTR (PHMSA); Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)
Nickels, Matthew (PHMSA)
Subject: Fwd: Request for Interpretation
Attachments: TSI Request for Interpretation.pdf
Thanks
From: Craig Jorgenson <cjorgenson@sulphurinstitute.org>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2018 4:01 PM
To: Kelley, Shane (PHMSA)
Cc: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Subject: Request for Interpretation
Good afternoon Shane,
Please find the attached request for interpretation for allowable alternative spellings for proper shipping names on
shipping papers as well as for the labeling and marking of packages per the HMR.
In accordance with 49 CFR 105.20(a)(4), we have also mailed your office a copy of this letter.
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
Regards,
Craig
Craig Jorgenson
The Sulphur Institute
1020 19th Street NW, Suite 520
Washington, DC 20036 (USA)
Direct Telephone: +1 202 296 2794
Website: www.sulphurinstitute.org
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