[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR173.242]
[Page 535-537]
TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
CHAPTER I--RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
PART 173--SHIPPERS--GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS--Table of Contents
Subpart F--Bulk Packaging for Hazardous Materials Other Than Class 1 and
Class 7
Sec. 173.242 Bulk packagings for certain medium hazard liquids and solids, including solids with dual hazards.
When Sec. 172.101 of this subchapter specifies that a hazardous
material be packaged under this section, only the following bulk
packagings are authorized, subject to the requirements of subparts A and
B of part 173 of this subchapter and the special provisions specified in
column 7 of the Sec. 172.101 table.
(a) Rail cars: Class DOT 103, 104, 105, 109, 111, 112, 114, 115, or
120 tank car tanks; Class 106 or 110 multi-unit tank car tanks and AAR
Class 206W tank car tanks.
(b) Cargo tanks: Specification MC 300, MC 301, MC 302, MC 303, MC
304, MC 305, MC 306, MC 307, MC 310, MC 311, MC 312, MC 330, MC 331, DOT
406, DOT 407, and DOT 412 cargo tank motor vehicles. Cargo tanks used to
transport Class 3, Packing Group I or II, or Packing
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Group III with a flash point of less than 38 deg.C (100 deg.F); Class
6, Packing Group I or II; and Class 8, Packing Group I or II materials
must conform to the following special requirements:
(1) Pressure relief system: Except as provided by Sec. 173.33(d),
each cargo tank must be equipped with a pressure relief system meeting
the requirements of Sec. 178.346-3 or Sec. 178.347-4 of this subchapter.
However, pressure relief devices on MC 310, MC 311 and MC 312 cargo
tanks must meet the requirements for a Specification MC 307 cargo tank
(except for Class 8, Packing Group I and II). Pressure relief devices on
MC 330 and MC 331 cargo tanks must meet the requirement in Sec. 178.337-
9 of this subchapter.
(2) Bottom outlets: DOT 406, DOT 407 and DOT 412 must be equipped
with stop-valves meeting the requirements of Sec. 178.345-11 of this
subchapter; MC 304, MC 307, MC 310, MC 311, and MC 312 cargo tanks must
be equipped with stop-valves capable of being remotely closed within 30
seconds of actuation by manual or mechanic means and (except for Class
8, Packing Group I and II) by a closure activated at a temperature not
over 121 deg.C (250 deg.F); MC 330 and MC 331 cargo tanks must be
equipped with internal self-closing stop-valves meeting the requirements
in Sec. 178.337-11 of this subchapter.
(c) Portable tanks. DOT Specification 51, 56, 57 and 60 portable
tanks; Specification IM and UN portable tanks when a T Code is specified
in Column (7) of the Sec. 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table for a
specific hazardous material; and marine portable tanks conforming to 46
CFR part 64 are authorized. DOT Specification 57 portable tanks used for
the transport by vessel of Class 3, Packaging Group II materials must
conform to the following:
(1) Minimum design pressure. Each tank must have a minimum design
pressure of 62 kPa (9 psig);
(2) Pressure relief devices. Each tank must be equipped with at
least one pressure relief device, such as a spring-loaded valve or
fusible plug, conforming to the following:
(i) Each pressure relief device must communicate with the vapor
space of the tank when the tank is in a normal transportation attitude.
Shutoff valves may not be installed between the tank opening and any
pressure relief device. Pressure relief devices must be mounted,
shielded, or drained to prevent the accumulation of any material that
could impair the operation or discharge capability of the device;
(ii) Frangible devices are not authorized;
(iii) No pressure relief device may open at less than 34.4 kPa (5
psig);
(iv) If a fusible device is used for relieving pressure, the device
must have a minimum area of 1.25 square inches. The device must function
at a temperature between 104 deg.C. and 149 deg.C. (220 deg.F. and
300 deg.F.) and at a pressure less than the design test pressure of the
tank, unless this latter function is accomplished by a separate device;
and
(v) No relief device may be used which would release flammable
vapors under normal conditions of transportation (temperature up to and
including 54 deg.C. (130 deg.F.).); and
(3) Venting capacity. The minimum venting capacity for pressure
activated vents must be 6,000 cubic feet of free air per hour (measured
at 101.3 kPa (14.7 psi) and 15.6 deg.C. (60 deg.F.)) at not more than
34.4 kPa (5 psi). The total emergency venting capacity (cu. ft./hr.) of
each portable tank must be at least that determined from the following
table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cubic feet
Total surface area square feet \1\ \2\ free air per
hour
------------------------------------------------------------------------
20...................................................... 15,800
30...................................................... 23,700
40...................................................... 31,600
50...................................................... 39,500
60...................................................... 47,400
70...................................................... 55,300
80...................................................... 63,300
90...................................................... 71,200
100..................................................... 79,100
120..................................................... 94,900
140..................................................... 110,700
160..................................................... 126,500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Interpolate for intermediate sizes.
\2\ Surface area excludes area of legs.
(d) IBCs. IBCs are authorized subject to the conditions and
limitations of this section provided the IBC type is authorized
according to the IBC packaging code specified for the specific hazardous
material in Column (7) of the Sec. 172.101 Table of this subchapter and
the IBC conforms to the requirements in subpart O of part 178 of this
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subchapter at the Packing Group performance level as specified in Column
(5) of the Sec. 172.101 Table of this subchapter for the material being
transported.
(1) IBCs may not be used for the following hazardous materials:
(i) Packing Group I liquids; and
(ii) Packing Group I solids that may become liquid during
transportation.
(2) The following IBCs may not be used for Packing Group II and III
solids that may become liquid during transportation:
(i) Wooden: 11C, 11D and 11F;
(ii) Fiberboard: 11G;
(iii) Flexible: 13H1, 13H2, 13H3, 13H4, 13H5, 13L1, 13L2, 13L3,
13L4, 13M1 and 13M2; and
(iv) Composite: 11HZ2 and 21HZ2.
[Amdt. 173-224, 55 FR 52663, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66275,
Dec. 20, 1991; Amdt. 173-238, 59 FR 38067, July 26, 1994; Amdt. 173-243,
60 FR 40038, Aug. 4, 1995; Amdt. 173-246, 60 FR 49110, Sept. 21, 1995;
Amdt. 173-252, 61 FR 28676, June 5, 1996; 62 FR 51560, Oct. 1, 1997; 65
FR 50461, Aug. 18, 2000; 66 FR 33435, June 21, 2001]
Editorial Note: At 66 FR 33435, June 21, 2001, Sec. 173.242(d) was
revised. Amendments published at 66 FR 45380, Aug. 28, 2001, could not
be incorporated because of inaccurate amendatory instruction.