{"operation":"document","citation":"19-0083","title":"Currie Associates — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2020-05-22","effective_on":null,"summary":"19-0083 response to Currie Associates concerning 173.185.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0083.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0083.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-19-0083","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/74056/190083.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nMay 22, 2020\nL’Gena Shaffer\nSenior Technical Consultant\nCurrie Associates\n10 Hunter Brook Lane\nQueensbury, NY 12804\nReference No. 19-0083\nDear Ms. Shaffer:\nThis letter is in response to your June 19, 2019, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the lithium battery mark.\nSpecifically, you ask whether the lithium battery mark provided in § 173.185(c)(3) may be\nmodified to include supplementary information in addition to the required UN identification\nnumber and telephone number. You provide three examples of the modifications to the lithium\nbattery mark and ask whether they meet the requirements of the HMR.\nYour examples are paraphrased and responded to as follows:\nQ1. Example 1: You ask whether the lithium battery mark may include a United States Postal\nService (USPS) “Surface Mail Only, Lithium-ion Batteries- Forbidden for Transportation\nAboard Passenger Aircraft” mark in addition to the UN number and telephone number\nrequired in § 173.185(c)(3)(i).\nA1. The answer is no. The purpose of the marking is to indicate that the package contains\nlithium batteries in a clear and universal way. Additional information not relevant to the\ncomponents of the mark could diminish the effectiveness of the lithium battery mark and\ncause confusion in transportation. Therefore, the lithium battery mark may not be\nmodified to include additional information not relevant to the components of the mark\nspecified in § 173.185(c)(3)(i).\nQ2. Example 2: You ask whether additional text may be added outside of the required red\nhatchings on the lithium battery mark.\nA2. The answer is yes. It is the opinion of this Office that additional information outside of\nthe required red hatching in the example provided would not diminish the effectiveness\nof the lithium battery mark.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. Example 3: You ask whether the lithium battery mark may include a barcode in addition\nto the UN number and telephone number required in § 173.185(c)(3)(i).\nA3. The answer is no. See answer A1.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nDirk Der Kinderen\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n{ C~~~,!!,~!!~~~!:~!c.\nI I I ' I ' I\nJune 19, 2019\nMr. Shane Kelley\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue , SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nUnited States\ncc: infocntr@dot.gov\nDear Mr. Kelley,\nCurrie Associates would like to request a formal letter of interpretation regarding the\nspecification and use of the lithium battery mark. Specifically, we would like to confirm the\nexamples provided below are allowed per the HMR.\nThe lithium battery mark must be displayed on packages of smaller lithium cells or batteries in\naccordance with § 173.185(c)(3). The specification of the mark:\n(i) The mark must indicate the UN number, 'UN3090' for lithium metal cells or batteries or\n'UN 3480' for lithium ion cells or batteries. Where the lithium cells or batteries are contained\nin, or packed with, equipment, the UN number 'UN3091' or 'UN 3481' as appropriate must\nbe indicated. Where a package contains lithium cells or batteries assigned to different UN\nnumbers, all applicable UN numbers must be indicated on one or more marks. The package\nmust be of such size that there is adequate space to affix the mark on one side without the\nmark being folded.\n,: I I I Ill Ill I II I #Ill I 111,r\n~ =\n' ' !\n' = g\n~ = i\n' , ~\n= t E\n, = I\n'\" , .€\n, -- ,:\n~ ~ , ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,~\nl- \\l11111m11n dim •11,wn 110 mm •1\nView or download PDF\n10 Hunter Brook Lane, Queensbury NY 12804 • Phone: (518) 761-0668 • Fax: (518) 792-7781 • mail@curneassociates com• www.currieassociates.com\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nTraining • A u diting • Consulting\n(A) The mark must be in the form of a rectangle with hatched edging. The mark must be\nnot less than 120 mm (4. 7 inches) wide by 110 mm (4.3 inches) high and the minimum\nwidth of the hatching must be 5 mm (0.2 inches) except markings of 105 mm (4. 1\ninches) wide by 74 mm (2.9 inches) high may be used on a package containing lithium\nbatteries when the package is too small for the larger mark;\n(8) The symbols and letters must be black on white or suitable contrasting background\nand the hatching must be red;\n(C) The \"*\" must be replaced by the appropriate UN number(s) and the \"**\" must be\nreplaced by a telephone number for additional information; and\n(D) Where dimensions are not specified, all features shall be in approximate proportion\nto those shown.\nThe lithium battery mark is for use in multimodal transport and the mark specifications are\noutlined in ICAO 2.4.16; IATA 7.1.5.5.3; and the IMDG Code 5.2.1.10. The U.S. Postal Service\nPublication 52 Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail requires the mark be \"DOT-approved\nlithium battery mark as specified in 49 CFR 173. 185(c)(i)\" and a text marking \"Surface Mail\nOnly, Lithium ion Batteries - Forbidden for Transportation Aboard Passenger Aircraff'\n.\nCurrie Associates understands the placeholders identified by \"*\" and \"**\" are to indicate the UN\nnumber and telephone number. No additional text is REQUIRED as it would have to be\ntranslated into multiple languages. However, we would like to confirm that additional text to\nfacilitate compliance with other transport standards is not prohibited. Specifically, we would like\nto confirm the examples provided below with additional text and/or bar code tracking are\nallowed in accordance with the HMR and do not impact the universal recognition of the mark.\nExample 1\nIn order to facilitate ease of multimodal shipments, the mark includes the USPS surface mail\nonly text in addition to the UN number and telephone number for additional information.\n10 Hunte, Broe!< Lane, Queensbury. NY 12804 • Phone: (518) 761-0668 • Fax: (518) 792-7781 • mail@currieassociates.com • www.currieassodates.com\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\n{ C~~'~!,~~!,~~~!!.:!~c.\n, , ' ' , , ,\nExample 2\nAdditional text outside of the red hatchings.\nsumce Ma~ Ont,; , Utihlum-400 batteries - Forbidden\nfor Thn1 :sportatlO'n Aboard ~nge.r Al rcnft.\nExample 3\nIncorporation of a bar code.\n10 Hunter Brook Lane, Queensbury. NY 12804 • Phone: (5 1 ll) 761 -0668 • Fax: (518) 792-7781 • mail@currieassociates.com • www.currieassociates.com\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nTraining • A uditing • C o nsulting\nCurrie Associates appreciates your review of this interpretation request and we look forward to\nhearing from you soon.\nSincerely,\n~Jf.J~\nL'Gena Shaffer\nSenior Technical Consultant\nCurrie Associates\n10 Hunter Brook Lane\nQueensbury, NY 12804\nwww. currieassociates. com\nlgena@currieassociates.com\n0: 518-761 -0668 Extn. 206\n10 Hunter Brook Lane, Queensbury, NY 12804 • Phone: (518) 761-0668 • Fax: (518) 792-7781 • mail@cumeassociates.com • www.currieassodates.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":7015}