{"operation":"document","citation":"98-0327","title":"General Electric Company — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1998-12-30","effective_on":null,"summary":"98-0327 response to General Electric Company concerning 171.1.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0327.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0327.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0327","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980327.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\n•\nof Transportation\nWashington, D.C.\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\n20590\nResearch and\nSpecial Programs\nAdministration\nDEC 3 0 1998\nDr. Jim Merrifield\nRef. No. 98-0327\nSenior Regulatory Specialist\nGeneral Electric Company\n260 Hudson River Road\nWaterford, NY 12188\nDear Dr. Merrifield:\nThis is in response to your letter of November 4, 1998, regarding the applicability of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask whether the HMR apply\nto the following traffic situation which occurs three to five times each day:\nA guard-controlled entrance gate for a waste treatment facility is located directly across a\npublic road from an operator-controlled entrance gate for the main site. A traffic light is\nsuspended above this crossover. Whenever facility traffic wishes to travel between the two\nsites, either the guard or the vehicle driver will activate the traffic light/gate controller. The traffic\nlight sequences through yellow to red. The gates begin opening after the light is red. The traffic\nlight is red for 4-6 seconds before the vehicle can pass through the gate. The red traffic light is\naffixed with a flashing strobe that is visible from several hundred feet. North-south traffic along\nthe public road stops in both directions at the light prior to and during any facility vehicle\ncrossing. After the vehicle has cleared the road, either the guard or the vehicle operator closes\nthe gate and returns the light to green for traffic to resume.\nAs specified in § 171.1, the HMR govern the safe transportation of hazardous material in intrastațe,\ninterstate, and foreign commerce. \"In commerce\" excludes from regulation the transportation of\nhazardous material on a private road. The use of a traffic light in these circumstances to deny public\naccess to a public highway makes the highway private, and therefore, not subject to the HMR.\nI hope this answers your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.\nSincerely,\nDihon Hi lli'o\nDelmer F. Billings\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nFROM: RADIAN INTERNATIONAL\nFAX NO.:\n9194611374\n11-84-98 11:424\nP.02\n98-0327\n-\nGE Silicones\nGeorge\n583222 30:3\nAllgust 25, 1998\n8171,1\nOffice of Hazardous Mintcrial Standards\nMr. Ed Mazzullo. Director\nResearch and Special Programs Administration\n400 7th Street, SW\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nFAX: (202) 366-3012\nWashington DC 20509-0001\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\nI am writing to you to request a written regulmory interpretation concerning the applicability of the\nlazardous material regulations (HMR) lo llc Following Iransporation situation:\nA two-lane public road traverses our facilily sitc, soprating the site into rwo sections: the main site and\nan anciary sin The ancillary site cantains our waste traumen facility. A fence completely surrounds\nby a guardhorse, so both sections of our facilily site are privnie necess areas.\nach site. Each site has a guard-controlled curance gale. Triffic in and out of cither site is monitored\nlocated directy across the public road from a operator-controlled entrance gate for the main site. A traffic\nAs show ill the diagram attached, a guard-controlled entrance gate for the waste treatment facility is\nlight is suspended above this crossovor. Wineror foility iraffic wisties to travel beiween the no sites,\nsequences through yellow to red. The yaros begin opening after the light is red. The traffic light is red for\nciter the guard or the velicle driver will uclivale lic truffic light/gate controller. The traffic light\n4 - 6 seconds before the vehicle can pass through the gate. The red traffic light is affixed with a flashing\ndircotions at the light prior to and during iny ficility vehicle crossing. After the vehicle has cleared the\nstrobe at is visible trom several hundred fect. Nor-soin Iratic along tie public rond stops in boll\nroza, either the guard or cite vehicle operator closes the gate and reunis the light to green for traffic to\nFaciliry vehieles will travel through this crossover betwen the sites 3 - 5 lines each day. Traffic along\nFacility traffe does not cross over the publie fold during fliese times. Facility vehicles have beel using\nte pub to is lot leavy (abour 6 cars permittic), except around 8 a.mn. and 5 p.in. on weekdays.\nthis crossing systemn since 1973. To date, (here ive ucci no traffio ineidents.\nThe types of vehicles thar cross over belien he sites include ranker tnicks (transporting 5 to 20,000 Ibs\nflammable liquids (PG I and III) or Class & corrosive malcrials (PG II and II. Would the transportation\nof material) and tricks transporting drums of materials. Sometimes these vehicles transport Class 3\nHMR?\nof tliese nuterials berseen the no siles in the above-described situation be considered subject to the\nIf you have any questions concoming this muspontalion situation, please call me at (318) 233-3461.\nSincercly.\nJim Merrifierd. Ph.D.\nGE Suicolles\nSenior Regulatory Specialist\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n• STATE OFNEW YORK - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTÄTIO\nFAX NO.: 9194611374\n11-84-98\n11:42A\nP .03\n1570L\nSIGNAL OPERATION SPECIFICATIONS (CONTIN\nCASE L72Ó3050\nDIVISION OF TRAFFIC i\nI AND SAFETY \"\nLE: 765-39.\nSaratoga Co.\nSIP\nSaratogz\n•Decembor Il; 1972\nis.\n¡SIGNAL NO.\nCOUNTY\nDATE\n• PAGE_\n' aF\n2\n→ PAGES\nAPPROX,\nNORTH\nMAIN\nSITE\nFENCE\nSCALE:/'= 50' APPROX.\nGUANO\n/FENCH\nDeVEINAY\nGE\nAGE DRINEWAY\n\"'\"'\nGATE\nGATE\nWASTE\nI TRAFFIC\nTREATInENT\nFENCK\nSiTi\nLIGHTS\nPEASE\nFACES\n•\n1,2,3,4\n546\n288\nGroon\n•\nBad\nFlashing Rod\nClearanco\n•\nIollou\nRead\nFlashing Bad\nB\nRad\nGroan\nGraon\nClearance\nRod\nIntlon\nGroan\nRod\nFlashing Rod\nBzargency\nOperation\nFlashing ToLlow\nMashiag Rad\nFlashing Red","truncated":false,"body_characters":5682}