{"operation":"document","citation":"20-0034","title":"Railsback Safety Professionals LLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2020-05-19","effective_on":null,"summary":"20-0034 response to Railsback Safety Professionals LLC concerning 171.8, 172.101, 173.120, 173.220, 176.906.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0034.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0034.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-20-0034","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/73961/200034.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 19, 2020\nRex Railsback\nHazMat Specialist\nRailsback Safety Professionals LLC\n312 Lawrence Avenue\nLawrence, KS 66049\nReference No. 20-0034\nDear Mr. Railsback:\nThis letter is in response to your April 22, 2020, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the transportation of internal\ncombustion engines and combustible liquids. Specifically, you describe a scenario involving\nequipment containing an internal combustion engine with a 150-gallon fuel tank. The engine\nand fuel tank contain diesel fuel with a flashpoint of 125 °F, which has been reclassified as a\ncombustible liquid in accordance with § 173.120(b).\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. You ask whether an internal combustion engine containing diesel fuel with a flash point\nof 125 °F meets the definition of “hazardous material” in § 171.8.\nA1. The answer is yes. Internal combustion engines containing a flammable or combustible\nliquid fuel are classified as a hazardous material (see “UN3528, Engine, internal\ncombustion, flammable liquid powered, 3”). Please note that exceptions from part, or all,\nof the HMR are offered to UN3528 (see §§ 173.220(h) and 176.906), and to combustible\nliquids (see § 173.150(f)).\nQ2. You ask whether an internal combustion engine’s 150-gallon fuel tank, which contains a\ncombustible liquid, meets the definition of a “hazardous material” in § 171.8.\nA2. The answer is yes. Fuel tanks that are part of the equipment they power are covered under\nthe description for the engine (UN3528, see above). If the fuel tank is transported\nseparately from the equipment it is intended to power, the fuel inside must be described\nand transported in accordance with applicable HMR requirements or exceptions (see\n§ 173.150(f)(2) for exceptions provided to bulk packages of combustible liquids).\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nAs defined under § 171.8, “hazardous material” means a substance or material that the Secretary\nof Transportation has determined is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and\nproperty when transported in commerce, and has designated as hazardous under section 5103 of\nFederal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5103). The term includes hazardous\nsubstances, hazardous wastes, marine pollutants, elevated temperature materials, materials\ndesignated as hazardous in the Hazardous Materials Table (see 49 CFR 172.101), and materials\nthat meet the defining criteria for hazard classes and divisions in part 173 of this subchapter.\nAn internal combustion engine containing flammable or combustible liquid fuel continues to\nmeet the definition of “hazardous material” in § 171.8 even when transported under an exception\nthat provides relief from part, or all of the requirements of the HMR. However, if the engine and\nfuel tank are purged of fuel in accordance with § 173.220(a), and the engine contains no other\nhazardous materials, then the engine would no longer be considered a “hazardous material” as\ndefined in § 171.8.\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\nPatrick\n20-0034\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Hazmat clarification request\nDate: Wednesday, April 22, 2020 4:16:45 PM\nAlice and Ikeya,\nBelow is a request for letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nJonathon, HMIC\nIf I’m transporting equipment with an internal combustion engine, powered by diesel fuel, with a\nflash point of 125° F, that I’ve reclassed as a combustible liquid, per 173.120(b), will this equipment\nstill meet the definition of a Hazardous Material, per 171.8? Will the associated 150 gallon fuel tank,\ncontaining diesel fuel, reclassed as a combustible liquid, per 173.120(b), that directly supplies said\nequipment, meet the definition of a Hazardous Material, per 171.8?\nI am requesting a written response to these questions.\nRespectfully\nRex Railsback, HazMat Specialist\n913-568-3001\n312 Lawrence Ave\nLawrence, KS 66049\nrex@hazmatgeek.com\nwww.hazmatgeek.com\nThis electronic message and any files transmitted contains information from Railsback HazMat Safety Professionals,\nLLC which is privileged, confidential or otherwise the exclusive property of the sender or intended recipient. If you\nare not the designated recipient, please be aware that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this\ncommunication is strictly prohibited.\nIf you have received this electronic transmission in error, please notify us by telephone 913-568-3001, or by\nelectronic mail (by replying to the sender) and promptly destroy the original transmission.","truncated":false,"body_characters":4877}