# Manufacturers' Institute, Inc — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 98-0227
- **title:** Manufacturers' Institute, Inc — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1998-10-07
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 98-0227 response to Manufacturers' Institute, Inc concerning 173.61.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980227.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
Was egon, S. 0.
20590
Research and
ministration
pecial Program
OCT
/ 1998
Mr. Robert Van Duzer
Hazardous Materials Consultant
Ret. No.
98-0227
Sporting Arms and Ammunition
Manufacturers' Institute,
Inc.
121 Beverly Drive
Kennett Square, PA 19348
•
Dear Mr. Van Duzer:
This is in response to your letter dated July 29, 1998,
requesting clarification of the mixed packaging requirements
under $ 173.61 (a) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
CFR Parts 171-180).
The intent of § 173.61 is to prohibit the packaging of explosive
Items with any other material in the same outside packaging. As
used in s 173.61, the phrase "any other material" includes
nazardous material and non-hazardous material. Thus, no other
material may be placed in the same outside packaging with the
explosive.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If you need additional
assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Hothe z, michell
Hattie I. Mitchell, Chief
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

A AM I
stevens
SPORTING ARMS AND AMMUNITION MANUFACTURERS' INSTITUTE, INC.
§ 173.61
R. Van Duzer
Consultant
July 29, 1998
U.S. Department of Transportation
Research and Special Programs Administration
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
400 Seventh Street, S. W.
Washington, DC 20590
Attention: Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo, Director
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
I am writing to you for an interpretation of the language contained in § 173.61(a) of 49
CFR, Mixed packaging requirements. This section pertains to the mixed packaging
requirements for explosives and reads as follows:
Unless specifically authorized in this subchapter, an explosive may not be
packed in the same outside packaging with any other material, unless
packaged by the DOD or DOE in accordance with § 173.7(a) of this
subchapter.
Applying a literal translation, it would appear that the regulations preclude us from
including any material, hazardous or non-hazardous, in the same outside packaging
containing explosives, except for those enumerated in § 173.61.
Occasionally, our member companies find it necessary to include product information,
operational instructions (literature and or video), or promotional materials, 1.e., ball-caps,
I-Shurts, belts, etc. together in the same shipment containing various explosive products.
The majority of our products are included in hazard class 1.4S with certain items being
classified as 1.4B and 1.3C.
•
containing explosive products?
Are we permitted to include non-hazardous materials in the same outside packaging
We appreciate your assistance and look forward to your reply.
Sincerely yours,
Robert Van Duzer
Hazardous Materials Consultant
compagitseami mixod packaging dot request. wpe
121 BEVERLY DRIVE - KENNEMAN SHIPISANEOAOL.COM14-2696 - FAX (610) 414-2696

<<<PAGE 3>>>

- i
EX PARTE CONTAÇTS
GENERAL
An ex parte contact is an oral contact between the public and the rulemaking agency
outside a public hearing. —
• If a DOT employee has a substantive, ex parte communication, he or she must place in
• Contacts made before a rulemaking document is issued that influence a rulemaking
should be noted in the preamble to the proposed rule for the rulemaking docket once it
• The closer we are to the issuance of a proposed rule, the more oral communications
should be discouraged.
Oral contacts after a proposed rule is issued also should be discouraged. Commenters
should be encouraged to make their comments through regular procedures.
Oral contacts after a comment period ends should be strongly discouraged. In addition,
oral communications that occur after the end of a comment period must be carefully
reviewed to see whether reopening of the commend period will be required.
EXCEPTIONS
•
It is permissible to talk to the public at all stages of a rulemaking but only to provide
them with information otherwise available to the public. (E.g., after an NPR.V is
issued, you may generally describe the substance of a proposal or explain the
advise someone about its specific proposals or the date it will be issued.)
terminology that is used in the proposal. Before an NPRM is issued, you should not
•
It may also be permissible to talk to the public to clarify written comments or to obtain
up-to-date information needed for the rulemaking (e.g., on the availability of parts that
Chief Counsel's or General Counsel's office.
may be required). Such communication should occur only following clearance from the
•
Oral contacts with another executive branch agency are generally permissible as long as
agency does not intend to submit comments to the rulemaking docket.
the other agency is not acting as a conduit for public comments and as long as the other
ALTERNATIVES
• APAN noblegal damment a under almin procedure mait
• Public meetings or workshops to discuss specific issues.
• Federal Advisory Committees.
courtin.
decision)

<<<PAGE 4>>>

3*..
173.87 (a)
173.87 (a)
Clarification of phrases - Ibis section Is Intended to pro-
hibit the packaging of explosive Items with different shipping
names in the same outside package unless a specific regulation
elsewhere in Part 173 provides otherwise. It also prohibits
the packaging of explosive Items with items of a foreign nature
in the same outside package. Io this end the following phrases
are defined:
(a)
"With each other" means with explosives covered by
different descriptions or different shipping names.
(b) "With other articles" means with articles foreign to
the explosive or device packaged, and other hazardous .
materials.
(c) Weight of any interior package of explosives does not
* rai
exceed 8 ounces" means the total weight of the interior
package including the inner packaging, cushioning material
and the explosive or explosive device does not exceed 8
ounces.
- OHMO letter to McDonnell-Douglas - June 12, 1974
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