{"operation":"document","citation":"21-0102","title":"George W. Wright & Associates, LLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2022-06-23","effective_on":null,"summary":"21-0102 response to George W. Wright & Associates, LLC concerning 171.16, 171.8.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0102.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0102.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0102","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/76566/210102.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJune 23, 2022\nMs. Doris Soran\nGeorge W. Wright & Associates, LLC\n505 Main Street, Suite 106\nHackensack, NJ 07601\nReference No. 21-0102\nDear Ms. Soran:\nThis letter is in response to your November 10, 2021, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the definition of\nan “undeclared hazardous material.” Specifically, you ask whether the requirement in\n§ 171.16(a)(4) to file a Hazardous Materials Incident Report on DOT Form F 5800.1 is triggered\nwhen:\n(A) a shipping document fails to disclose a hazardous material;\n(B) a vehicle, container, or package fails to disclose exterior hazardous communication;\nor\n(C) both conditions of (A) and (B) exist.\nAs defined in § 171.8 of the HMR, an undeclared hazardous material is a hazardous material that\nis subject to any hazardous communication requirements and is offered for transportation without\nany visible indication to the person accepting the hazardous material for transportation that a\nhazardous material is present. The requirements of § 171.16(a)(4) specifically apply to a\ndiscovered undeclared hazardous material and not merely a shipment for which any given\nrequired piece of hazard communication is missing.\n\n<<>>\n\nPlease note that while an “undeclared hazardous material” is strictly defined in § 171.8, any\nomission of required hazard communication is a violation of the HMR, even when § 171.16(a)(4)\ndoes not apply.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<>>\n\nBallengee\n21-0102\nFrom: Foster, Glenn (PHMSA)\nTo: Subject: Date: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA); Hillman, Kenetha CTR (PHMSA)\nFW: Definition of Undeclared Hazardous Material (49 CFR Sec. 171.8)\nWednesday, November 10, 2021 12:18:22 PM\nAttachments: 20211110115001808.pdf\nAlice and Kenetha.\nCan one of you check in the attached as a LOI and assign to the next Specialist in the rotation,\nplease?\nThanks,\nGlenn\nFrom: Doris Soran \nSent: Wednesday, November 10, 2021 11:56 AM\nTo: Foster, Glenn (PHMSA) \nCc: George Wright \nSubject: Definition of Undeclared Hazardous Material (49 CFR Sec. 171.8)\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or\nopen attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nPlease see attached letter, dated November 8, 2021, from George W. Wright, Esq.\nDoris Soran\nGeorge W. Wright & Associates, LLC\n505 Main Street, Suite 106\nHackensack, NJ 07601\nT: 201.342.8884\nF: 201.343.8869\nWall Street Plaza\n88 Pine Street, 7th Fl.\nNew York, NY 10005\ndsoran@wright-associate.com\nHttp://www.wright-associate.com\n_______________________________\nThe information contained in this E-mail message is privileged, confidential and may be protected from\ndisclosure. Any other use, printing, copying, disclosure or dissemination of this communication may be\nsubject to legal restriction or sanction. If you believe that you have received this E-mail message in error,\nplease reply to the sender. This E-mail message and any attachments have been scanned for viruses\nand are believed to be free of any virus or other defect that might affect any computer system into which it\nis received and opened. It is the responsibility of the recipient, however, to ensure that this E-mail\nmessage is virus free and no responsibility is accepted by George W. Wright & Associates, LLC for any\nloss or damage arising in any way from its use.\n\n<<>>\n\nNarinder S. Parmar*\nVIA E-MAIL (glenn.foster@dot.gov)\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nPipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nU.S. Department of Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nRe:\nDefinition of Undeclared Hazardous\nMaterial (49 CFR Sec. 171.8)\nDear Mr. Foster:\nOur office counsels transportation industry clients with respect to the United\nStates Department of Transportation's (\"DOT's\") regulations, including the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).\nOur review of 49 CFR Sec. 171.8 discloses an ambiguity in the definition of\n\"Undeclared Hazardous Material\" for which we respectfully request the\nPHMSA's advices. Section 171.8 recites, in relevant part, that an \"Undeclared\nHazardous Material\" is one governed by the hazardous communication\nrequirements and:\nNew Jersey\n***\n505 Main Street\nHackensack, NJ 07601\nT 201.342.8884\n(2) offered for transportation in commerce without any visible\nF 201.343.8869\nindication to the person accepting the hazardous material for\nWall Street Plaza\nNew York\ntransportation that a hazardous material is present, on either an\naccompanying shipping document or the outside of a transport\n88 Pine Street, 7th Floor\nvehicle, freight container, or package (emphasis added).\nNew York, NY 10005\nwww.wrighr-associare.com\n*Member NJ 8 NY Burs\n\n<<>>\n\ndiscovered.\nWe would greatly appreciate the agency's clarification whether the duty to file\na Form F 5800.1 pursuant to Section 171.16 is triggered if either of the following\nconditions are present: (A) a deficient shipping document failing to disclose a\nhazardous material and/or (B) a deficient vehicle, container or package placard\nor label failing to disclose a hazardous material.\nAlternatively, is the reporting duty triggered only when both conditions (A) and\n(B) exist?\nWe thank you for your attention and assistance.\nVery truly yours,\nSurge W. Wight\nGeorge W. Wright\nGWW:ds","truncated":false,"body_characters":5792}