{"operation":"document","citation":"23-0004","title":"APRAGAZ (Notified Body 0029) — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2023-07-25","effective_on":null,"summary":"23-0004 response to APRAGAZ (Notified Body 0029) concerning 171.25.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0004.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0004.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0004","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/77801/230004.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJuly 25, 2023\nChris Vleugels\nAPRAGAZ (Notified Body 0029)\nHead of Department ADR/RID/IMDG/CSC\nVilvoordsesteenweg 156, 1120 Brussels, Belgium\nReference No. 23-0004\nDear Mr. Chris Vleugels:\nThis letter is in response to your January 23, 2023, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to foreign-made\nUnited Nations (UN) portable tanks which are approved and inspected by a foreign approval\nagency. You state that a customer believes that UN portable tanks manufactured outside of the\nUnited States must be approved by a PHMSA-designated agency prior to use in the United\nStates. Specifically, you ask whether a UN portable tank inspected by a foreign approval agency\nthat is recognized by the competent authority—in this case APRAGAZ and the country of\nBelgium—respectively, may be loaded and unloaded with a hazardous material before and after\ntransportation into, from, and/or within the United States. You note that the UN portable tanks:\n• Comply with Tank Instruction T1 and T22 and are manufactured by a Belgian\nmanufacturer;\n• Are designed according to American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler\nand Pressure Vessel Code Section VIII - Rules for Constructions of Pressure Vessels,\nDiv.1 and/or European Standard EN14025, Tanks for the transport of dangerous goods -\nMetallic pressure tanks - Design and construction;\n• Comply with the rules of Agreements Concerning the International Carriage of\nDangerous Goods by Rail (RID) and by Road ADR § 6.7 and the International Maritime\nDangerous Goods (IMDG) Code § 6.7; and\n• Are approved and inspected by APRAGAZ, which is not a United States approval agency\nbut is recognized by the competent authority of Belgium for the approval and inspection\nof UN portable tanks.\nBased on the information provided, the answer is yes. APRAGAZ is authorized to approve and\ninspect portable tanks as the HMR does not require foreign facilities that manufacture UN\nportable tanks to be inspected by a DOT designated approval agency or approved by PHMSA’s\n\n<<>>\n\nAssociate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety. However, when offered for\ntransportation or transported to, from, or within the United States, as outlined in your previous\nletter of interpretation, Reference No. 13-0151, there may be additional requirements that apply\nunder § 171.25(c)(1).\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\nCasey\n23-0004\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Subject: Date: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA); Hazmat Interps\nFW: Interpretation/clarification of 49CFR Parts 171-180\nTuesday, January 24, 2023 9:36:41 AM\nAttachments: image001.png\nCVL-B-2023-01-18-01.pdf\nHi Alice and team,\nPlease see the LOI request below. Please see the letter in the attachment. Please note that the\nphone number and mailing address are international. Thanks!\n-Rachel (HMIC)\nFrom: Chris VLEUGELS \nSent: Monday, January 23, 2023 10:10 AM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nCc: MERTENS Eddy \nSubject: Interpretation/clarification of 49CFR Parts 171-180\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.\nDear Madam, Dear Sir,\nPlease find in annex our request for interpretation/clarification of 49CFR Parts 171-180.\nMet vriendelijke groeten – Sincères salutations – Best regards\nEng. Chris Vleugels\nHead of Department ADR/RID/IMDG/CSC\nEngineer Design Approval Department\nAPRAGAZ (Notified Body 0029)\nVilvoordsesteenweg 156, 1120 Brussels, Belgium\nTel.: +32 (0)2 264 03 72 – Mob.: +32 (0)492 59 98 85\nAPRAGAZ is the Belgian control organisation specialized in the field of pressure equipment (vessels,\ncylinders, accessories), electricity (LV, HV, ATEX) and fire extinguishers (type approval).\nAPRAGAZ offers all services related to initial and periodical controls, certification and training for\ncompanies of all sizes in Belgium or abroad.\n--\nThis e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended\nrecipient or have received this e-mail in error, notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail.\nAny unauthorized use, copying, disclosure or distribution of the contents of this e-mail is strictly\n\n<<>>\n\nforbidden and may be unlawful.\nAny attachment to this e-mail has been thoroughly swept for viruses by Apragaz. However we\ncannot be held accountable for any damage incurred as a result of software viruses or other\nmalicious applications.\nWe would advise that you carry out your own checks before opening any attachment.\n\n<<>>\n\nVilvoordsesteenweg 156 B-1120 Brussel Tel 32/2/264.03.60 - Fax. 32/2/268.89.58 - e-mail : info@apragaz.com - www.apragaz.com\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nAttn: PHH-10\nUS Department of Transportation\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nUSA\ninfocntr@dot.gov\nY/Ref. :\nO/Ref.: CVL-B-2023-01-18-01\nSubject: Interpretation/clarification 49CFR Parts 171-180\nBrussels, January 23, 2023\nDear Madam, Dear Sir,\nThis letter is to request interpretation/clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49CFR\nParts 171-180) applicable for foreign-made UN Portable Tanks approved and inspected by a foreign\napproval agency.\nGiven:\n- UN Portable Tanks with Tank Instruction T1 through T22 manufactured by a Belgian\nmanufacturer. Designed according to ASME VIII Div.1 and/or EN14025. These UN Portable\nTanks comply with the rules of ADR/RID §6.7 and IMDG §6.7 both based on the UN\nRecommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (Model Regulations).\n- The UN Portable Tanks are approved and inspected by the non-US approval agency\nApragaz vzw. This agency is not designated by PHMSA’s Associate Administrator for\nHazardous Materials Safety.\n- The approval agency Apragaz vzw is\n- recognized by the competent authority of Belgium for the approval and inspection of\nUN Portable Tanks;\n- accredited by BELAC (the Belgian Accreditation Body) conform EN ISO/IEC 17020\nfor approval and inspections of UN Portable Tanks;\n- notified by the European Commission as Notified Body 0029 for Transportable\nPressure Equipment.\nQuestion:\nMay the above-mentioned UN Portable Tanks be loaded and unloaded with a hazardous material\nauthorized for that container before and after transportation into, from and/or within the United\nStates?\nA 105-1-Rev.5\n\n<<>>\n\nVilvoordsesteenweg 156 B-1120 Brussel Tel 32/2/264.03.60 - Fax. 32/2/268.89.58 - e-mail : info@apragaz.com - www.apragaz.com\nA similar demand for interpretation has already been answered by your Administration (ref. 13-0151R) but\nthe manufacturer asked for a more clearly answer: can Apragaz vzw approve and inspect their\nmanufactured UN Portable Tanks (T1 through T22) for use within the United States.\nYour response will be very appreciated.\nSincerely,\nEng. Chris Vleugels\nManager, ADR/RID/IMDG/CSC Department\nc.vleugels@apragaz.com\nMob.: +32 492 59 98 85\nTel.: +32 2 264 03 60\nApragaz vzw\nVilvoordsesteenweg 156\n1120 Brussels\nBelgium\nA 105-1-Rev.5","truncated":false,"body_characters":7470}