{"operation":"document","citation":"22-0106","title":"Clean Earth — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2022-12-12","effective_on":null,"summary":"22-0106 response to Clean Earth concerning 172.502.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-22-0106.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-22-0106.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-22-0106","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/77046/220106.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nDecember 12, 2022\nNicholas Prevosti\nEnvironmental Health and Safety Manager\nClean Earth\n115 Jacobus Avenue\nKearny, NJ 07032\nReference No. 22-0106\nDear Mr. Prevosti:\nThis letter is in response to your October 6, 2022, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to prohibited display of\nplacards. Specifically, you ask whether a flip placard displaying “blank” white panels\nconstitutes prohibited placarding in accordance with § 172.502(a)(2). When turned to the\n“blank” side, a flip placard maintains the square-on-point design (i.e., shape of a placard) but\ndoes not display any hazard communication information.\nThe answer is no, display of a “blank” white flip placard does not constitute prohibited\nplacarding. Similarly, an empty placard holder frame also does not constitute prohibited\nplacarding.\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<<>>\n\n22-0106\nPatrick\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Clarification on blank Square on Point fillers and interpretation letter 12-0139\nDate: Monday, October 17, 2022 4:11:16 PM\nAttachments: 120139 misleading information placard holders.pdf\nPlease see below request for letter of interpretation. An older letter of interpretation was attached\nas well but it is a different scenario.\nThanks,\nJonathon, HMIC\nFrom: Prevosti, Nicholas \nSent: Thursday, October 6, 2022 1:37 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nCc: Barone, Joe ; Fixter, Robert P ; Koziol, David\n; Radichel, Jakob ; White, Leigha\n\nSubject: Clarification on blank Square on Point fillers and interpretation letter 12-0139\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do\nnot click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content\nis safe.\nTo Whom It May Concern,\nPlease clarify if the attached interpretation letter intends to mean that the shape (square on point)\non its own, blank, white, with no markings would be considered to be confused with prescribed\nplacards. It is clear that a square on point in conjunction with a red N would meet the prohibition of\n172.502(a)(2). The reason for this request for clarification is that it is common practice to flip\nplacards to the blank white square on point side in “slide in holders” and “flip” placards on gondola\nrail cars and over the road trucks. As they are blank, and white, there are no markings that could be\nconfused with any other placard’s color, design, shape or content. It would seem that the reference\nto “shape” in the regulation would have to refer to the shape of a marking on a placard and not the\nshape of a placard itself, as the shape of a square on point is a ubiquitous shape and would have far\nranging prohibitions. For example, the permanently affixed “flip” placards cannot be removed from\nthe conveyance, so a blank, white square on point must be used as a “null filler” to show there is no\nplacard. Even an empty slide in holder is the shape and size of a square on point, regardless of the\npresents of a blank, white null filler.\nThank you for your assistance in this matter.\n§ 172.502 Prohibited and permissive placarding.\n(a) Prohibited placarding. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, no person may affix or\ndisplay on a packaging, freight container, unit load device, motor vehicle or rail car -\n(1) Any placard described in this subpart unless -\n\n<<>>\n\n(i) The material being offered or transported is a hazardous material;\n(ii) The placard represents a hazard of the hazardous material being offered or transported; and\n(iii) Any placarding conforms to the requirements of this subpart.\n(2) Any sign, advertisement, slogan (such as “Drive Safely”), or device that, by its color, design, shape\nor content, could be confused with any placard prescribed in this subpart.\nNicholas Prevosti CHMM\nEnvironmental Health and Safety Manager\nM 201-273-4796 nprevosti@harsco.com\nwww.cleanearthinc.com\nO 973-344-4004 x 1791\n115 Jacobus Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032\n\n<<>>\n\nU.S. Department\n·.)f Transportation\n.\"ipeline and Hazardous\n;,1aterials Safety\n\"'.dministration\nSergeant Brad Wagner\nCarrier Enforcement Division\nNebraska State Patrol\nP.O. Box 94907\nLincoln, Nebraska 68509-4907\nRef. No. 12-0139\n:Jo ~J•\"'N JP.rsev 1\\ven11e SE\n'i:.1sh1nqton. DC 20590\n,iJl 2 5 2012\nDear Sergeant Wagner:\nThis responds to your June 19, 2012 request for clarification on prohibited placarding\nunder the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically,\nyou asked if a red \"N\" on a white square on point background shown in your attached\nphotographs constitutes a prohibited sign under§ 172.502(a)(2).\nSection 172.502(a)(2) provides that: [N]o person may affix or display on a packaging,\nfreight container, unit load device, motor vehicle or rail car. .. any sign, advertisement,\nslogan (such as \"\"Drive Safely\"), or device that, by its color, design, shape, or content,\ncould be confused with any placard prescribed in this subpart.\nThis prohibition is intended to limit the potential dilution of hazard communication\nprovided-by the appropriate hazardous materials placards. The display in the photographs\nyou provided is similar in \"shape\" (square on point configuration) to that of hazardous\nmaterials placards, and could be confused with prescribed placards in the HMR.\nTherefore, the red \"N\" on a white square on point background is prohibited under\n§ 172.502(a)(2).\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, contact this office at\n(202) 366-8553.\nSincerely,\nRobert Benedict\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<>>\n\nDave Heineman\nGovernor\nSTATE OF NEBRASKA\nNEBRASKA STATE PATROL\nColonel David A. Sankey\nSuperintendent\nP.O. Box 94907\nLincoln, Nebraska 68509-4907\nPhone: (402) 471-4545\nJune 19,2012\n13ocJffie\n~ l 12... ~o~(a){?.)\nPla.carc11f1j\nlh-'013'1\nCharles E. Betts\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\nDear Mr. Betts:\nPlease provide a determination on whether a red \"N\" on a white square on point background in\nthe attached photos constitute a prohibited sign under § 172.502(a)(2).\nThank you for your time and attention in this matter.\nRespectfully,\nBrad Wagner, Sergeant\nCarrier Enforcement Division\nEnclosures: (2)\nCc: Captain Krolikowski\nFile\nAN INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY\nAn Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer\nPrinted with soy ink on recycled paper","truncated":false,"body_characters":6994}