{"operation":"document","citation":"99-0278","title":"Condon & Forsyth, LLP — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1999-11-08","effective_on":null,"summary":"99-0278 response to Condon & Forsyth, LLP concerning 173.320.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-99-0278.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-99-0278.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-99-0278","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1999/990278.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\nWashington, D.C.\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\n20590\nResearch and\nSpecial Programs\nAdministration\nNOV - 8 1999\nMr. David F. Rifkind\nRef. No: 99-0278\nCondon & Forsyth, LLP\n1016 Sixteenth Street, NW\nWashington, DC 20036\nDear Mr. Rifkind:\nThis is in response to your letter of October 5, 1999, concerning whether the helium or nitrogen\ncryogenic refrigerant system in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine (MRI) is subject to the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). You state that MRIs will be\ndeinstalled from fixed locations for installation at a new site.\nAs provided by § 173.320(b)(2), the HMR do not apply to cryogenic atmospheric gases and helium\nwhen used in operation of a process system, such as a refrigeration system. It is the opinion of this\nOffice that the MRIs described fall within this exception.\nI hope this information is helpful.\nSincerely,\nfor (Chich, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n990278\n173.320\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nCONDON & FORSYTH LLP\nLOS ANGELES\nNEW YORK\ncfdc@compuserve.com\nWASHINGTON, DC\nLavalle\nOctober 5, 1999\n$173.320\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\n99-0278\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nUnited States Department of Transportation\n400 Seventh St., S.W\nWashington, DC 20790\nRe:\nRequest for Clarification of Applicability of 49 C.F.R. §170.320(b)(2) to\nTransport of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Machine Containing Cryogenic Liquid\nDear Mr. Mazullo:\nWe are writing on behalf of Siemens Corporation (\"Siemens\") and its subsidiary Oxford Magnet\nTechnology Ltd. (\"OMI\") to request written clarification that the cryogenic refrigerant system in a\nMagnetic Resonance Imaging machine ('MRI\") qualifies as a \"process system\" and, as provided by\n49 C.F.R. §170.320(b)(2), transport of the MRI is not subject to the requirements in 49 C.F.R. Parts\n171-180.\nAn MRI is a medical diagnostic machine which subjects a body to a magnetic field generated by a\nsuperconducting magnet resulting in a high quality internal image of the human body.\nThe\nsuperconducting magnet is super cooled by liquid helium or nitrogen encased in a pressure vessel. All\npressure vessels on Siemens' MRIs comply with the German standard AD Merkblad and the British\nStandard BS 5500. Pressure vessels are equipped with primary and secondary relief valves. For your\nreference, I have attached at Tab A a schematic of the MRI refrigeration system and venting.\nhighways for installation at a new site. The deinstallation involves decommissioning the magnet to\nSiemens seeks to deinstall MRIs from fixed locations and transport them on trucks on public\neliminate the danger of a quench during transport. During transport the magnet is maintained at super\nThe DOT has previously determined that an MRI permanently affixed to a 48' semi-trailer and which\ncontained liquid helium as part of a refrigerant system used to super cool the MRI magnet qualified\nas a process system under § 173.320(2), and was, therefore, not subject to the requirements in 49\nC.F.R. Parts 171-180. Clarification Letter No. 6594, dated July 18, 1990.\nThis request differs from the Clarification Letter No. 6594 in that Siemens seeks a determination on\nthe transport of MRI machines which are not permanently affixed on an truck, but have been\n1016 SIXTEENTH STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20036 TELEPHONE 202.289.0500\nFACSIMILE 202.289.4524\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nCONDON & FORSYTH LLP\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nOctober 5, 1999\nPage 2\ndeinstalled from a fixed location and are to be reinstalled and recommissioned for further operations\nat a new fixed location.\nIf you have any questions or require additional information please call me.\nAttachment\nJ:\\40380\\dot100599.wpd","truncated":false,"body_characters":3716}