{"operation":"document","citation":"23-0102","title":"American Industrial Transport, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2024-03-28","effective_on":null,"summary":"23-0102 response to American Industrial Transport, Inc. concerning 179.18.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0102.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0102.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-23-0102","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2024-03/230102.pdf","body":"<<>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nMarch 28, 2024\nRoger Dalske\nVice President Engineering and Fleet Operations\nAmerican Industrial Transport, Inc.\n100 Clark Street\nSt. Charles, MO 63301\nReference No. 23-0102\nDear Mr. Dalske:\nThis letter is in response to your November 28, 2023, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to thermal\nprotection systems on rail tank cars. You ask whether thermal protection systems included\namong the Department’s list of thermal protection systems that comply with the requirements of\nPart 179, Appendix B—and no longer require test verification per § 179.18(c) —can be\ncombined. Specifically, you ask whether a different thermal protection system on the list may be\nused to repair a thermal protection system on the list that has already been installed on a tank car\nif the list does not specifically identify the two systems in use together. It is your understanding\nthat it would be permissible to use one listed thermal protection system to repair another listed\nthermal protection system provided the tank car still meets the required performance standards\nset forth in the HMR, and that further test verification of the combined system would be\nunnecessary because separately both systems no longer require test verification.\nBased on the information in your letter and the included plans for repair of the thermal protection\nsystem, it is the opinion of this Office that your understanding is incorrect. The thermal\nprotection systems that comply with Part 179, Appendix B and no longer require test verification\nper § 179.18(c), provide readily available options to be used wholly. Combining pieces of two or\nmore systems from the thermal protection systems list will require test verification in accordance\nwith the requirements of § 179.18(a)-(b), as the systems on the list were not tested in\ncombination.\nI hope this information 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\nRoundtree\nJones, Jessie Jane CTR (PHMSA)\n23-0102 CONFIDENTIAL\nFrom:\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nSent:\nTo:\nWednesday, November 29, 2023 2:00 PM\nJones, Jessie Jane CTR (PHMSA)\nSubject:\nAttachments:\nFwd: requesting interpretation of acceptable repair of thermal protection systems\nPublic Version_AITX Interpretation Request - Thermal Protection System (11.28.23).pat;\nConfidential Version_AITX Interpretation Request - Thermal Protection System\n(11.28.23) pdf\nJessie,\nHere you go thanks\nGet Outlook for ios\nFrom: Patrick, Eamonn (PHMSA) \nSent: Wednesday, November 29, 2023 11:14:49 AM\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA) \nCc: DerKinderen, Dirk (PHMSA) ; Foster, Glenn (PHMSA) < Glenn.Foster@dot.gov>; Majors,\nLeonard (PHMSA) \nSubject: FW: requesting interpretation of acceptable repair of thermal protection systems\nAlice,\nPlease see attached for a LOI request. Please check this in and assign to a specialist, and be sure to note that AITX is\nrequesting confidential treatment. You can also let the assigned specialist know that Leonard and I have a lot of\nbackground on this request and we're happy to meet and discuss.\n-Eamonn\nFrom: Dalske, Roger \nSent: Tuesday, November 28, 2023 3:47 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) \nCc: Patrick, Eamonn (PHMSA) ; O'Brien, Kenneth < KOBrien@aitx.com>; Dalske, Roger\n\nSubject: requesting interpretation of acceptable repair of thermal protection systems\nAITX is requesting interpretation of acceptable repair of thermal protection systems previously discussed at the October\nAAR Tank Car Meetings.\nAttached please find a public and confidential version of AITX's request for an interpretation from PHMSA. As indicated\nin its letter, AITX requests confidential treatment of the three procedures included as attachments to the confidential\nversion of the letter pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 105.30 because these documents constitute confidential business\ninformation relating to AITX's business operations, practices, and procedures, which are the type of business\ninformation exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, as set forth in 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4).\n\n<<>>\n\nRoger Dalske\n/X\nVice President Engineering and Fleet Operations\n(636) 940-6185 | AITX.COM\nAITX\n100 Clark Street | St. Charles, MO | 63301\nE-mail: RDalske@aitx.com\n2\n\n<<>>\n\nNovember 28, 2023\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA) INFOCNTR@dot.gov\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nAttn: PHH 10, U.S. Department of Transportation, East Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590 0001\nSubject: Request for Interpretation of 49 C.F.R. § 179.18.\nTo Whom It May Concern:\nThe federal rules require that certain tank cars be equipped with a thermal protection system that\nmeets the criteria specified in 49 C.F.R. § 179.18. The Hazardous Materials Regulations do not\nrth a thermal protection perfor-\nmance standard that each system must meet. Id. § 179.18(a). Compliance with the performance\nstandard must be verified by analyzing the fire effects on the entire surface of the tank car using\nthe analysis methodology set forth in § 179.18(b) and Appendix B to Part 179. PHMSA main-\ntains a list of thermal protection systems that comply with the requirements in Appendix B of 49\n-\nsign specifications for the thermal protection system in order to incentivize and allow for innova-\ntion. 42 Fed. Reg. 46306, 46309 (Sept. 15, 1977) (Final Rule - Shippers; Specification for Pres-\nsure Tank Car Tanks).\nAITX intends to repair one system on the Approved Systems List with another system also on\nthe Approved Systems List. Although the Approved Systems List does not specifically identify\nthese two systems in use together as a combined system, both systems are identified on the Ap-\nproved Systems List and therefore no longer require test verification.\nSpecifically, AITX owns and maintains tank cars that are equipped with a thermal protection\nsystem that includes insulation and an 11-gauge metal jacket that meets the requirements of\nprocedure, AITX personnel use a thermal inspection camera to detect voids in the original ther-\nmal protection system of a tank car. AITX intends to repair such voids by applying a coating to\nthe affected area such that the coating will overlap the identified voids to ensure all areas are ad-\nequately protected. The coating itself is an approved thermal protection system that is identified\n-lag coatings). Accordingly, AITX intends to use the two approved\nattached a copy of its infrared inspection procedure and its repair procedures that contemplate\napplication of a coating (i.e., a second thermal protection system) to address voids in the original\n\n<<>>\n\nthermal protection system. AITX claims each of these procedures as confidential proprietary\ninformation pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 105.30 and requests confidential treatment of these three\npro-cedures.1\nWhile § 179.18 does not expressly address this scenario, AITX understands it is permissible to\nuse one approved thermal protection system to repair another approved thermal protection sys-\ntem provided the tank car still meets the performance standard set forth in § 179.18(a). Moreo-\nver, AITX understands that further test verification of the combined system is unnecessary be-\ncause both individual thermal protection systems are identified on the Approved System List\nand no longer require test verification.\nBased on engineering principles, when making this repair AITX expects the following conditions\nwill be maintained:\n1. The pool fire and torch fire survival times will remain unchanged or potentially be im-\nproved by the new combined thermal protection system because each individual thermal\nprotection system has already been verified to meet the § 179.18(a) thermal protection\nsystem performance standard.\n2. The insulating characteristics of the original thermal protection system will be maintained\nor potentially exceeded using the combined system. The AAR MSPR Appendix A pres-\nsure relief device requirements will continue to be met because there will be no change to\nthe pressure relief device. In addition, the combined thermal protection system is better\ninsulated than the original thermal protection system.\n3. The puncture resistance of the car will be maintained because the thickness of the head\nshields, tank and jacket will remain the same.\nIn addition, AITX will undertake the following activities:\n1. The original thermal protection system will be stabilized and evaluated to ensure it will\ncontinue to meet its intended function and design level of safety and reliability for the in-\nspection and test interval assigned to the safety system.\n2. The combined thermal protection system will be evaluated to ensure it will meet its\nfunction and design level of safety and reliability for the inspection and test interval\nassigned to the combined safety system.\n3. The changes to the thermal protection system are recorded on the AAR Certificate of\n-2) or through the Tank Car Integrated Data base (TCID), with\nreference to an approved COC, in accordance with AAR MSRP M-1002 requirements.\n4. The tank car, as repaired with the combined thermal protection system, will continue to\nmeet the federal DOT package specification requirements and applicable AAR rules.\n1 AITX requests confidential treatment of these three procedures pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 105.30 because these docu-\nwhich are the type of business information exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, as set forth in 5 U.S.C. §\n552(b)(4).\nAmerican Industrial Transport, Inc.\n100 Clark Street\nSt. Charles, MO 63301\n\n<<>>\n\nIn summary, AITX is requesting that PHMSA confirm its understanding that AITX is permitted\nto use one approved thermal protection system to repair another approved thermal protection sys-\ntem that has an 11-gauge jacket. AITX will evaluate tank cars with a combined system to ensure\nthat the combined system reliably meets its functional requirements for the inspection and test\ninterval assigned to the safety system.\nPlease feel free to contact me if you have any questions or require\nadditional information regarding our request.\nRoger Dalske\nVice President Engineering and Fleet Operations\n(636) 940-6185 | AITX.COM\n100 Clark Street | St. Charles, MO | 63301\nE-mail: RDalske@aitx.com\nCC: Eamonn Patrick eamonn.patrick@dot.gov\nKOBrien@aitx.com\nAmerican Industrial Transport, Inc.\n100 Clark Street\nSt. Charles, MO 63301\n\n<<>>\n\nNovember 28, 2023\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA) INFOCNTR@dot.gov\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nAttn: PHH 10, U.S. Department of Transportation, East Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590 0001\nSubject: Request for Interpretation of 49 C.F.R. § 179.18.\nTo Whom It May Concern:\nThe federal rules require that certain tank cars be equipped with a thermal protection system that\nmeets the criteria specified in 49 C.F.R. § 179.18. The Hazardous Materials Regulations do not\nrth a thermal protection perfor-\nmance standard that each system must meet. Id. § 179.18(a). Compliance with the performance\nstandard must be verified by analyzing the fire effects on the entire surface of the tank car using\nthe analysis methodology set forth in § 179.18(b) and Appendix B to Part 179. PHMSA main-\ntains a list of thermal protection systems that comply with the requirements in Appendix B of 49\n-\nsign specifications for the thermal protection system in order to incentivize and allow for innova-\ntion. 42 Fed. Reg. 46306, 46309 (Sept. 15, 1977) (Final Rule - Shippers; Specification for Pres-\nsure Tank Car Tanks).\nAITX intends to repair one system on the Approved Systems List with another system also on\nthe Approved Systems List. Although the Approved Systems List does not specifically identify\nthese two systems in use together as a combined system, both systems are identified on the Ap-\nproved Systems List and therefore no longer require test verification.\nSpecifically, AITX owns and maintains tank cars that are equipped with a thermal protection\nsystem that includes insulation and an 11-gauge metal jacket that meets the requirements of\nprocedure, AITX personnel use a thermal inspection camera to detect voids in the original ther-\nmal protection system of a tank car. AITX intends to repair such voids by applying a coating to\nthe affected area such that the coating will overlap the identified voids to ensure all areas are ad-\nequately protected. The coating itself is an approved thermal protection system that is identified\n-lag coatings). Accordingly, AITX intends to use the two approved\nattached a copy of its infrared inspection procedure and its repair procedures that contemplate\napplication of a coating (i.e., a second thermal protection system) to address voids in the original\n\n<<>>\n\nthermal protection system. AITX claims each of these procedures as confidential proprietary\ninformation pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 105.30 and requests confidential treatment of these three\npro-cedures.1\nWhile § 179.18 does not expressly address this scenario, AITX understands it is permissible to\nuse one approved thermal protection system to repair another approved thermal protection sys-\ntem provided the tank car still meets the performance standard set forth in § 179.18(a). Moreo-\nver, AITX understands that further test verification of the combined system is unnecessary be-\ncause both individual thermal protection systems are identified on the Approved System List\nand no longer require test verification.\nBased on engineering principles, when making this repair AITX expects the following conditions\nwill be maintained:\n1. The pool fire and torch fire survival times will remain unchanged or potentially be im-\nproved by the new combined thermal protection system because each individual thermal\nprotection system has already been verified to meet the § 179.18(a) thermal protection\nsystem performance standard.\n2. The insulating characteristics of the original thermal protection system will be maintained\nor potentially exceeded using the combined system. The AAR MSPR Appendix A pres-\nsure relief device requirements will continue to be met because there will be no change to\nthe pressure relief device. In addition, the combined thermal protection system is better\ninsulated than the original thermal protection system.\n3. The puncture resistance of the car will be maintained because the thickness of the head\nshields, tank and jacket will remain the same.\nIn addition, AITX will undertake the following activities:\n1. The original thermal protection system will be stabilized and evaluated to ensure it will\ncontinue to meet its intended function and design level of safety and reliability for the in-\nspection and test interval assigned to the safety system.\n2. The combined thermal protection system will be evaluated to ensure it will meet its\nfunction and design level of safety and reliability for the inspection and test interval\nassigned to the combined safety system.\n3. The changes to the thermal protection system are recorded on the AAR Certificate of\n-2) or through the Tank Car Integrated Data base (TCID), with\nreference to an approved COC, in accordance with AAR MSRP M-1002 requirements.\n4. The tank car, as repaired with the combined thermal protection system, will continue to\nmeet the federal DOT package specification requirements and applicable AAR rules.\n1 AITX requests confidential treatment of these three procedures pursuant to 49 C.F.R. § 105.30 because these docu-\nwhich are the type of business information exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, as set forth in 5 U.S.C. §\n552(b)(4).\nAmerican Industrial Transport, Inc.\n100 Clark Street\nSt. Charles, MO 63301\n\n<<>>\n\nIn summary, AITX is requesting that PHMSA confirm its understanding that AITX is permitted\nto use one approved thermal protection system to repair another approved thermal protection sys-\ntem that has an 11-gauge jacket. AITX will evaluate tank cars with a combined system to ensure\nthat the combined system reliably meets its functional requirements for the inspection and test\ninterval assigned to the safety system.\nPlease feel free to contact me if you have any questions or require\nadditional information regarding our request.\nRoger Dalske\nVice President Engineering and Fleet Operations\n(636) 940-6185 | AITX.COM\n100 Clark Street | St. Charles, MO | 63301\nE-mail: RDalske@aitx.com\nCC: Eamonn Patrick eamonn.patrick@dot.gov\nKOBrien@aitx.com\nAmerican Industrial Transport, Inc.\n100 Clark Street\nSt. Charles, MO 63301","truncated":false,"body_characters":16966}