{"operation":"document","citation":"23-0031","title":"Essex Industries, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2023-06-07","effective_on":null,"summary":"23-0031 response to Essex Industries, Inc. concerning 178.35.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0031.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0031.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0031","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/77651/230031.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJune 7, 2023\nArio Estrada\nSenior Quality Manager\nEssex Industries, Inc.\n8007 Chivvis Drive\nSt. Louis, MO 63123-2395\nReference No. 23-0031\nDear Mr. Estrada:\nThis letter is in response to your March 20, 2023, email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to general requirements for\nDOT specification cylinders. In your email, you state that your company manufacturers DOT 4L\ncylinders with a water capacity of 1,220 cubic inches at a facility in the United States. In\nreference to the inspection and analyses requirements of § 178.35(b)(2), you ask whether your\ncompany is able to use a competent inspector of the manufacturer or must instead use an\nindependent inspection agency approved in writing by the Associate Administrator. Specifically,\nyou seek confirmation of your understanding that the water capacity threshold limit of 1,100\ncubic inches for use of a competent inspector of the manufacturer for domestic manufacturing\napplies only to DOT 4D cylinders and not to the other cylinders listed including DOT 4L\ncylinders.\nYour understanding is correct, the 1,100 cubic-inch limit only applies to DOT 4D cylinders. A\ndomestic manufacturer of DOT 4L cylinders may use a “competent inspector of the\nmanufacturer” for performance of inspections and verification of the cylinders. Specifically, your\n1,220 cubic inch DOT 4L cylinders may be inspected by a competent inspector of the\nmanufacturer.\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\nCardez\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Request of Formal Letter of Interpretation - Essex Industries, Inc.\nDate: Tuesday, March 28, 2023 11:27:29 AM\nAttachments: image001.png\nimage002.png\nimage003.png\nimage004.png\nimage005.png\nimage006.png\nimage007.png\n23-0031\nRequest of PHMSA Letter of Interpretation of CFR 49 178.35(b)(2) - Essex Industries, Inc._March 20, 2023.pdf\nHi Alice,\nPlease see the attached interpretation request.\nLet us know if you need anything else.\nRegards,\n-Breanna\nFrom: Ario Estrada \nSent: Monday, March 20, 2023 3:42 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nCc: Sears, Craig (PHMSA) ; Gary Schreckenberg\n; Brad Schaefer ; Mike Balbuena\n\nSubject: Request of Formal Letter of Interpretation - Essex Industries, Inc.\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.\nAttention: Mr. 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\ninfocntr@dot.gov\nDear Mr. Shane Kelly,\nI hereby request a formal letter of interpretation of CFR 49 178.35(b)(2) per the enclosed letter.\n\n<<>>\n\nShould you have any questions regarding this request, don't hesitate to contact me.\nRespectfully,\nArio Estrada | Senior Quality Manager | STL Sites\nSunnen | 6 Sunnen Dr. | Maplewood, MO 63143\nChivvis | 8007 Chivvis Dr. | St. Louis, MO 63123\no 314.338.8268 | m 314.250.8904\n\n<<>>\n\nCardez\n23-0031\nMarch 20, 2023\nAttention: Mr. 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\ninfocntr@dot.gov\nDear Mr. Shane Kelly,\nEssex is requesting a letter of interpretation of CFR 49 178.35(b)(2) on whether the\nrequirement of “(with a water capacity less than 1,100 cubic inches)” pertains to only the\n4D cylinders or pertains to all the cylinder types (3B, 3BN, 3E, 4B, 4BA, 4B240ET,\n4AA480, 4L, 8, 8AL, 4BW, 4E, 4D) list prior to this statement. This is in regards to DOT\ncompliance inspection here at Essex Industries, Inc. the week of February 27, 2023, in\nregards to Essex Industries, Inc. 4L cylinder P/N: 50C-0083-0001, which has a water\ncapacity of 1,220 cubic inches.\nIf the DOT PMHSA interpretation “(with a water capacity less than 1,100 cubic inches)”\npertained to all the cylinder types listed prior to this statement, including 4L cylinders.\nThis would mean Essex Industries, Inc. would require an outside DOT inspector to\nwitness steps in the manufacturing process of P/N: 50C-0083-0001 4L cylinder since it\nis over the 1,100 cubic inches, instead of a competent inspector of the manufacturer, in\nthis case, Essex Industries, Inc.\nEssex Industries, Inc.’s interpretation of CFR 49 178.35(b) is “(with a water capacity\nless than 1,100 cubic inches)” pertains to only the 4D cylinders and not 4L cylinders.\nThe “(with a water capacity less than 1,100 cubic inches)” is in parenthesis only after 4D\nand not directly after any of the other cylinder types listed, including 4L. If this pertained\nto all of the types of cylinders listed, it would be stated in the sentence prior to or after\nthe listing of all the cylinder types and not just after the 4D. See the section of CFR 49\n178.35(b) below:\nCFR 49 178.35(b)\n(b) Inspections and analyses. Chemical analyses and tests required by this\nsubchapter must be made within the United States, unless otherwise approved in\n\n<<>>\n\nwriting by the Associate Administrator, in accordance with subpart I of part 107 of\nthis chapter. Inspections and verification must be performed by –\n(1) An independent inspection agency approved in writing by the Associate\nAdministrator, in accordance with subpart I of part 107 of this chapter; or\n(2) For DOT Specifications 3B, 3BN, 3E, 4B, 4BA, 4B240ET, 4AA480, 4L, 8,\n8AL, 4BW, 4E, 4D (with a water capacity less than 1,100 cubic inches) and\nSpecification 39 (with a marked service pressure 900 psig or lower), and\nmanufactured within the United States, a competent inspector of the\nmanufacturer.\nEssex is requesting clarification of the DOT requirement stated above in conjunction\nwith the DOT Office of Hazardous Materials Safety group to determine how Essex\nIndustries, Inc. needs to proceed on manufacturing 4L cylinder P/N: 50C-0083-0001.\nIf you would like to discuss or need additional information for your consideration,\nplease do not hessite to contact me at (314) 338-8268.\nSincerely,\nArio Estrada\nSenior Quality Manager\nEssex Industries, Inc.\n8007 Chivvis Drive\nSt. Louis, MO 63123-2395\nPhone: 314-338-8268\naestrada@essexind.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":6683}