# BOC Gases — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 98-0230
- **title:** BOC Gases — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1998-10-06
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 98-0230 response to BOC Gases concerning 172.101.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0230.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0230.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0230
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980230.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S.Department
•
of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
20590
•
OCT | 6 1998
Mr. John N. Thompson
Hazardous Materials Specialist
Ref. No. 98-0230
BOC Gases
600 Union Landing Road
Riverton, NJ 08077
Dear Mr. Thompson:
This is in response to your letter dated August 5, 1998, requesting clarification on the proper
description of your gas mixtures under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts
171-180). Specifically, you are requesting clarification on the proper shipping name and identification
number for a mixture of any one or more of the following gases: argon, helium, krypton, neon or xenon
in oxygen. You ask whether the proper shipping name for your mixtures should be "rare gases and
oxygen mixtures, compressed, UN 1980" or "compressed gas, oxidizing, nos, UN 3156" when the
oxygen concentration is greater than 23.5%.
Section 172.101 requires that the closest name for the material compatible with the hazard class of the
material be used. A mixture containing more than 23.5% oxygen is considered to be an oxidizing gas.
Therefore, the proper shipping name, "compressed gas, oxidizing, nos, UN 3156" is more appropriate.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry.
Sincerely,
Jah
elmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

300t€
TIL BOC GASES
BOC Gases
172.101 (K) Kare Gase
P.O. Drawer No. 272
Union Landing & River Road:
Riverton NJ 08077
Telephones: 609 829 7878
August 5, 1998
Delmer Billings
U.S Department of Transportation
Research & Special Programs Administration
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
-
Dear: Mr. Billings
Could you please clarify for BOC Gases the following questions?
What would be the Proper shipping name and Identification number for a mixture
of any one or more of the following gases; argon, helium, krypton, neon or xenon in
oxygen?
Would it not be Rare gases and oxygen mixtures, compressed, UN 1980? What if the
oxygen concentration was greater then 23.5%, would it then be described as
Compressed gas, oxidizing, N.O.S., UN 3256?
In the Hazardous Materials Table you have Carbon dioxide and oxygen mixtures,
compressed listed with Special Provision 77, which requires you to add a subsidiary
oxidizer hazard label when the oxygen concentration is greater then 23.5% would
not or could the same be applied to the Rare gases and oxygen mixtures, compressed
entry?
We want to insure that we are properly labeling these cylinders in compliance with
the regulations. Clarification of this matter would do this.
Thank you for any information you could provide on this matter.
Please respond to me at BOC Gases, 600 Union Landing Road, Riverton, New
Jersey, 08077, phone: ( 609) 786-2906.
A Delaware Corporation
A division of The BOC Group, Inc.

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Sincerely,
BOC Gases
pim X. Thompson
ohn N. Thompson
Hazardous Materials Specialist

<<<PAGE 4>>>

of Transportation
U.S.Department
Washington, DC
400 Seventh Streel Sw
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
JUL 213=
Project Supervisor
Mr. Jeff R. Bowman
Environmental Dynamics
1916 Grandstand Dr.
san Antonio, TX
Dear Mr. Bowman:
This is in response to your letter of April 14, 1993, regarding transportation
of oil soaked rags.
material referred to does not meet the definitions of a flammable solid or a
As discussed with you by MI. John Gale of our staff, the debris-soaked
spontaneously combustible material in S 173.124. For example, oil soaked rags
are not characterized as readily combustible materials which may cause a fire
through friction, nor are oil soaked rags likely to meet the definition of
self heating materials exhibiting spontaneous ignition at temperatures
exceeding 200°F during a 24 hour test period.
S 173.120 (C), is one criterion used to determine whether a liquid ia
Flash point, defined in
classified as combustible or flammable material.
Protection Agency (EPA) requirements, they would be subject to the appropriate
However, if the oil soaked rags are a hazardous waste under Environmental
requirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations. Ior more information,
call the EPA RCRA Botline at 1-800-424-9346.
If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
sincerely,
Delmer I. Billings
Acting Deputy Director, office of
Hazardous Materials standards
181/173.124
172.10/
93-0124
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 4396
