{"operation":"document","citation":"19-0059","title":"Midway USA — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2019-08-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"19-0059 response to Midway USA concerning 178.503, 178.601.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0059.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0059.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0059","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/72071/190059.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n. Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nAugust 15, 2019\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nMr. Bradley Spears\nOutbound Logistics Manager\nMidway USA\n5875 West Van Horn Tavern Road\nColumbia, MO 65203\nReference No. 19-0059\nDear Mr. Spears:\nThis letter is in response to your May 10, 2019, letter and subsequent phone conversations\nrequesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180)\napplicable to the requirements for specification markings on packagings. Specifically, you are\nseeking clarification on whether you may reproduce the United Nations (UN) specification\nmarking on a printed label for a variation packaging. You state that you are shipping hazardous\nmaterials in cardboard boxes that are smaller than a tested specification box in accordance with\nVariation 4 in§ 178.601(g)(4). You also state that your specification boxes are purchased from a\nmanufacturer and then tested by a third-party testing lab. The test report is submitted to the\nmanufacturer who then prints the UN specification markings on the boxes. Your company\npurchases the same type of boxes (same methods of construction, materials of construction,\nstrength characteristics of materials of construction, method of closure, and material thickness)\nas the specification boxes, only smaller in external dimension, and would like to reproduce the\nspecification marking for these variation boxes using a printed label. You state that the print on\nthese labels meets the requirements of§ 178.3(a)(4).\nThe answer is yes, provided the markings meet the applicable requirements of§ 178.3 and\n§ 178.503. In accordance with § 178.3(a)(3), \"The markings must be stamped, embossed,\nburned, printed or otherwise marked on the packaging to provide adequate accessibility,\npermanency, contrast, and legibility so as to be readily apparent and understood.\" These printed\nlabels must be able to maintain a level of permanency so as not to become illegible or\ncompromised during conditions normally incident to transportation.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely, ,,..--7.~~v~\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nL~\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nAttachments:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nFriday, May 10, 2019 11:31 AM\nHazmat Interps\nFW: Formal request for Letter of Interpretation\nLetter of Interpretation to DOT - Variation 4.docx\nHi Alice and lkeya,\nBelow and attached is a request for letter of interpretation. I provided 08-0104 for now but the caller would still like a\nletter.\nThanks,\nJonathon, HMIC\nRequest for interpretation\nRE: 49 CFR 178.3\nDear Sir or Madam,\nMidwayUSA is wanting to ship our hazardous materials (UN0044 Primers, cap type; UN0509 Powder, smokeless; NA3178\nSmokeless powder for small arms; UN0S0l Propellant, solid) in smaller cardboard boxes (smaller in length, width, and\nheight) than our tested and fully compliant UN Specification package using Variation 4 of 178.601. However, these\nsmaller cardboard boxes are not \" ... stamped, embossed, burned, printed or otherwise marked on the packaging to\nprovide adequate accessibility, permanency, contrast, and legibility so as to be readily apparent and understood\" as per\n178.3(a)(3).\nWe are seeking advice/clarification from the Department of Transportation on whether we can reproduce the UN\nspecification marking, from our specification package test report, in permanent printed black ink onto a white label,\nadhering to the requirements of 178.3(a)(4), and affix those white labels to any side but the bottom of the cardboard\nbox.\nI have enclosed a picture of a sample package. Please note, there are no other markings or labels on any of the other\nsides of the package aside from our company logo, shipping label, and carrier shipping papers.\nSincerely,\nBradley Spears\nOutbound Logistics Manager\nMidwayUSA\nbspea rs@m idwayusa .com\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,\nAttn: PHH-10\nUnited States Department of Transportation\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nBradley Spears\nOutbound Logistics Manager\n5875 West Van Horn Tavern Rd\nColumbia, MO 65203\nRequest for interpretation\nRE: 49 CFR 178.3\nDear Sir or Madam,\nMidwayUSA is wanting to ship our hazardous materials (UN0044 Primers, cap type; UN0509 Powder,\nsmokeless; NA3178 Smokeless powder for small arms; UN0501 Propellant, solid) in smaller cardboard\nboxes (smaller in length, width, and height) than our tested and fully compliant UN Specification\npackage using Variation 4 of 178.601. However, these smaller cardboard boxes are not \" ... stamped,\nembossed, burned, printed or otherwise marked on the packaging to provide adequate accessibility,\npermanency, contrast, and legibility so as to be readily apparent and understood\" as per 178.3(a)(3).\nWe are seeking advice/clarification from the Department of Transportation on whether we can\nreproduce the UN specification marking, from our specification package test report, in permanent\nprinted black ink onto a white label, adhering to the requirements of 178.3(a)(4), and affix those white\nlabels to any side but the bottom of the cardboard box.\nI have enclosed a picture of a sample package. Please note, there are no other markings or labels on any\nof the other sides of the package aside from our company logo, shipping label, and carrier shipping\npapers.\nSincerely,\nBradley Spears\nOutbound Logistics Manager\nMidwayUSA\nbspears@midwayusa.com\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n• Attached is the formal letter with the above information in a word\ndocument\nBradley Spears\nLogistics Outbound Mgr I NRA Life Member\nBSpears@midwayusa.com I 573-445-6363 x2663\n5875 West Van Horn Tavern Rd. I Columbia, MO 65203\n. .\nMl- . · · · · ·\n~ · MalcolmBald..t.... ·\n• . . . . . ' . . . . ~t Ql.l#l ' ,.;;J;\n· . · .. • . . ,oiou.: 2ou = .. •\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":6016}