Fleet fuel accounts under hazard communication rules

December 28, 1994

Ms. Elizabeth L. Hay
Attorney, StarEnterprise
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Ms. Hay:

Thank you for your letter of March 11, concerning the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), 29 CFR 1910.1200.

Your question requests a written interpretation to confirm that companies who send their employees to a service station to fill up company vehicles with motor fuel, pursuant to a fleet fueling account, do not constitute "commercial accounts" as defined in the amended HCS.

In response to your specific question, please refer to the February 9, 1994, Amendments to the Final Hazard Communication Rule (enclosed), where a definition was added for "commercial account".

"Commercial account means an arrangement whereby a retail distributor sells hazardous chemicals to an employer, generally in large quantities over time and/or at costs that are below the regular retail price."

In your example where employers such as Avis and Hertz have established a "fleet fuel account" with StarEnterprise, the "fleet fuel account" appears to be a "commercial account". Therefore, StarEnterprise must inform their commercial account holders that an MSDS for motor fuel is available, and shall provide the MSDS upon the company's request. Please bear in mind that this conclusion is based on the information you provided in your letter. Ultimately, compliance with an OSHA standard is determined by field staff in our Area Offices.

We hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions please contact [the Office of Health Enforcement at (202) 693-2190].

Sincerely,

Ruth E. McCully, Director Office of Health Compliance Assistance Enclosure: Hazard Communication, Final Rule

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[Corrected 12/6/2024]