{"operation":"document","citation":"98-0223","title":"Sea-Land Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1998-08-31","effective_on":null,"summary":"98-0223 response to Sea-Land Services concerning 172.201.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0223.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0223.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0223","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980223.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n1\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nResearch and\nWashington, D.C.\n20590\nSpecial Programs\nAdministration\nAUG 3 | 1998\nMr. Prabhu Natarajan\nManager, Hazardous Materials\nRef. No. 98-0223\nSea-Land Services,\nInc.\n6000 Carnegie Boulevard\nCharlotte, NC\n28209-4637\nDear Mr. Natarajan:\nThis is in response to your July 13, 1998 letter regarding the\nuse of specific languages in preparing dangerous goods\nSpecifically, you ask whether it is permissible to accept non-\nEnglish shipping documents for hazardous material shipments in\nthe USA when such shipments are prepared under the\nInternational Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.\nThe answer is no. Under the HMR, with certain exceptions, if\nall or part of the transportation is by vessel, a hazardous\nplacarded and described in accordance with the requirements of\nthe IMDG Code may be offered and accepted and transported in\nthe United States (see 49 CER 171.12(b)). In § 171.7 (a) (3),\n\"Table of material incorporated by reference\" of the HMR, the\nEnglish edition of the IMDG Code is incorporated by reference.\nTherefore, if hazardous materials shipments are made in\naccordance with the IMDG Code (as\nauthorized in S 171.12 (b)),\nthe hazardous material shipping description, the shipper's\n...\ncertification (declaration) and the container packing\ncertification must be in English.\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nDulm 75 lo\nDelmer F.\nBillings\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n-\n• •\nBetts\nSealiLand\n§172.201\nSea-Land Servico, Inc.\nCharlotte, NC 28209-4637\n6000 Caregie Boulevard\n(704) 571-2000\n10-031\n598-205\n115859789\nÓ3NE31\nJuly 13, 1998\nгіїбі\nMr. Bryan Robinson\nCommandant (G-MOS-3)\nU.S. Coast Guard\n2100 Second Street SW\nWashington, DC 20593-0001\nDear Mr. Robinson:\nIt was a pleasure to talk to you on the phone about clarification to the use of\n49CFR/IMDG with respect to interational transportation of hazardous materials. We\nlook forward to working with you and your office in the future.\nOur question is in reference to the use of IMDG in the USA and its territories, as allowed\nby section 171.12 of the 49CFR. The IMIDG does not recommend or prohibit the usage\nof specific languages in preparing dangerous goods declarations or container packing\ncertificates. The 49CFR authorizes shipments of hazardous materials prepared under the\nIMDG code to be shipped in the USA subject to the requirements and limitations imposed\nby 49CFR section 171.12. These requirements do not mandate the use of English\nlanguage in the preparation of the shipper's declaration or the container packing\ncertificate. Based on this information, we conclude that it is legally possible to accept\nnon-English shipping documents for hazardous shipments in the USA when such\nshipments are prepared under the IMDG code. We request the opinion/ruling of your\noffice in light of the above.\nWe do realize that section 172.201(a)(2) requires the use of English language in preparing\nshipping papers for shipments prepared under the 49CFR regulations.\nWe look forward to receiving your earliest response.\nSincerely,\nManager, Hazarous Materials\nPN/rgm\n500/200d 8TS ON\n6S: IT\n86/01/80\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n+\n:+\nU.S. Department\nCommandam\nof Transportation\nJnited States Coast Guard\nWashington, DC 20593-000\n2100 Second Street, SW\nStaff Symbol: G-MSO-3\nAX: 8202274207\nDRAFT\n16703/49-171\nAugust 10, 1998\nSea-Land Services, Inc.\nATTN: Mr. Prabhu Natarajan\n6000 Carnegie Boulevard\nCharlotte, NC 28209-4637\nSubj: DOCUMENTATION\nDear Mr. Natarajan:\nIn response to your letter of July 13, 1998, concerning the use of specific languages in preparing\ndangerous goods declarations or container packing certificates, the following guidance is\nprovided.\nThe provisions contained in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) section 171.12(b)\nauthorize the use of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code within the\nUnited States subject to certain conditions and limitations. The IMDG Code is published in\nseveral languages and accordingly does not limit the preparation of documentation to a single\nlanguage. While use of the English language is obviously preferred, when the IMDG Code is\nbeing utilized in the United States in conformance with 49 CFR 171.12(b), the shipper's\ndeclaration and the container packing certification may be in a language other than English.\nIf you have any further questions regarding this matter, please contact Mr. Brian Robinson of my\nstaff at (202) 267-0018.\nSincerely,\nR. F. CORBIN\nCommander, U.S. Coast Guard\nChief, Hazardous Materials Standards Division\nBy direction of the Commandant\nBrobinson 28 Jul 98 Itr.SeaLandl LOG #98-205\n{00/200d\n8IS ON\n6S:IT\n86/0T/80","truncated":false,"body_characters":4713}