CCSB Contact: Matthew S. Erim Telephone (703) Item Description Class

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1 Re: Circuit Breakers or Switches, electrical Items 61300, and CCSB Contact: Matthew S. Erim Telephone (703) Proponent: Commodity Classification Standards Board Present Classification Provisions Item Description Class ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT GROUP: subject to item Circuit Breakers or Switches, NOI, see Notes, items 61301, 61302, and 61304, or Parts thereof, NOI, in boxes, crates, drums or Packages 1241, 1273 or NOTE Does not apply on devices utilizing semiconductor materials. Classes for such devices are named in item NOTE Operating pipe, rods and shafts made from iron, steel or wood, separate or combined, for operation of switches, and structural iron work may be shipped loose or in bundles NOTE Also applies on switch boxes containing fuses and cable terminals or fuse blocks NOTE Applies also on mechanically-actuated Wavelength Selectors for automobile radios or on Timing Switches, coin- or currency-operated or other than coin- or currency-operated Circuit Breakers or Switches, other than card mounted, blister packed or in containers affixed to cards, actual value not exceeding $1.40 each nor $4.00 per pound, see Note, item 61311, in boxes NOTE Shipper must certify on shipping orders and bills of lading at time of shipment that the actual value of the property does not exceed $1.40 each nor $4.00 per pound. If the shipper fails to so certify the actual value, item 61300, naming 'Circuit Breakers or Switches, NOI,' will apply. THIS SPACE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 2016 National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 1 of 7

2 Present Classification Provisions Concluded Item Description Class ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT GROUP: subject to item Switch Boxes, Electrical Enclosures or Electrical Wiring Equipment, viz.: Electric Meter Sockets; Electrical Enclosures, NOI; Junction Boxes or Cabinets; Outlet Box Covers, other than outlet box plates; Outlet Boxes; Switch Boxes, NOI; Terminal Boxes or Housings; Terminal or Junction Blocks; Terminals, electrical cable or wiring, NOI, including Connectors or Butt Splices, see Note, item 63163; With or without fittings, see Note, item 63162, in boxes, see Note, item 63161, subject to Items 170 and 171 and having a density in pounds per cubic foot of: Sub 1 Less than Sub 2 1 but less than Sub 3 2 but less than Sub 4 4 but less than Sub 5 6 but less than Sub 6 8 but less than Sub 7 10 but less than Sub 8 12 but less than Sub 9 15 but less than Sub but less than Sub or greater NOTE The following departures from packing requirements are permitted: 1. Terminals, terminal boxes or housings, electric meter sockets, or terminal or junction blocks may be shipped in Packages 1241 or Aluminum railway switch or junction boxes exceeding 140 pounds may be shipped on skids NOTE Not Involved NOTE Not Involved Switches, air-break, gang or group operated, electric power transmission or distribution, in boxes or crates, subject to Item 170 and having a density in pounds per cubic foot of: Sub 1 Less than Sub 2 6 but less than Sub 3 12 or greater Subject 11, Page 2 of National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

3 Proposed Classification Provisions Item Description Class ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT GROUP: subject to item Circuit Breakers or Switches, NOI, see Notes, items 61301, 61302, and 61304, or Parts thereof, NOI, etc... Cancel; see item NOTE Cancel; no further application NOTE Cancel; no further application NOTE Cancel; no further application NOTE Cancel; no further application Circuit Breakers or Switches, other than card mounted, blister packed or in containers affixed to cards, actual value not exceeding $1.40 each nor $4.00 per pound, etc... Cancel; see item NOTE Cancel; no further application Switches, Switch Boxes, Electrical Enclosures or Electrical Wiring Equipment, viz.: Circuit Breakers or Switches, including Air-Break Switches or Timing Switches; [Other Articles Listed No Change.] With or without fittings, see Note, item 63162, in boxes, see Note, item 63161, subject to Items 170 and 171 and having a density in pounds per cubic foot of: Sub 1 Less than Sub 2 1 but less than Sub 3 2 but less than Sub 4 4 but less than Sub 5 6 but less than Sub 6 8 but less than Sub 7 10 but less than Sub 8 12 but less than Sub 9 15 but less than Sub but less than Sub or greater NOTE The following departures from packing requirements are permitted: 1. No Change. 2. No Change. 3. Circuit breakers or switches may be shipped in crates or Packages 1241, 1273 or NOTE No Change NOTE No Change Switches, air-break, gang or group operated, electric power transmission or distribution, etc... Cancel; see item National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 3 of 7

4 Analysis Research Project 1227 This proposal is based on information developed through Research Project 1227, which was initiated in April 2014 to review the transportation characteristics of electrical circuit breakers or switches, as named in items and During the course of research it was discovered that the characteristics of air-break switches, as named in item 63250, are similar to the involved products. Accordingly, the research was expanded to include air-break switches. Hereinafter, the involved products will be referred to as electrical switches. In conjunction with the project, questionnaires were mailed to 298 potential manufacturers or shippers of the involved products, and 12 associations believed to represent those manufacturers or shippers, in May and July Of the companies contacted, 25 responded that they do not manufacture or ship electrical switches, and 11 companies provided at least some information. Four associations indicated that they do not represent manufacturers or shippers of this product. No responses were received from the remaining associations. History of Provisions The provisions of item were adopted from the rails in The reference to or Parts thereof was added without a class change as a result of action taken on Subject 22 of Docket 83 (March-April 1958). That change first appeared in Supplement 9 to NMFC A-4, effective November 4, The current provisions were established as a result of action taken on Subject 5 of Docket 902 (March 1990), and the changes first appeared in Supplement 1 to NMF 100-Q, effective May 5, The provisions of item were established as a result of action taken on Subject 17 of Docket 734 (July 1973) and first appeared in Supplement 13 to NMF 100-A, effective October 11, The current provisions were established as a result of action taken on Docket 805, Subject 43 (October 1980). Information on that record indicated densities ranging from 8.00 to pcf, with an average density of pcf. Those changes first appeared in Supplement 13 to NMF 100-G, effective January 3, The provisions of item were established as a result of action taken on Docket 127, Subject 33 (January 1967). Those provisions first appeared in Supplement 11 to NMFC A-9, effective July 20, The current provisions were established as a result of action taken on Subject 3 of Docket 864 (June 1986). Those changes first appeared in Supplement 4 to NMF 100-M, effective August 23, Subject 11, Page 4 of National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

About Electrical Switches A switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another 1.

Electrical switches can vary in size and shape from small domestic light switches to larger, industrial switchgear designed to protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city 2.

Electrical Switches Circuit Breaker Air-Break Switch Transportation Characteristics Density The information of record includes 32,732 density observations submitted by shippers and carriers, observed

5 About Electrical Switches A switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another 1. A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent/overload or short circuit. Electrical switches can vary in size and shape from small domestic light switches to larger, industrial switchgear designed to protect high voltage circuits feeding an entire city 2. Examples of varying electrical switches are shown below. Electrical Switches Circuit Breaker Air-Break Switch Transportation Characteristics Density The information of record includes 32,732 density observations submitted by shippers and carriers, observed on CCSB dock surveys and obtained from the CCSB s Density Study 3. The products range in density from 0.44 to pcf, with an average density of pcf. The figures are widely distributed throughout the range. Handling When tendered in boxes or crates, or on lift truck skids or pallets, electrical switches will generally exhibit handling characteristics similar to those of other like-packaged freight. These packages may include shipper instructions or precautionary markings such as Fragile and/or This Side Up, but generally, articles so tendered will not present any unusual or significant handling considerations. 1 (accessed March 2016) 2 (accessed March 2016) 3 The Density Study is part of an ongoing effort by the CCSB to collect information on actual shipments; it is not tied to any particular research project, nor does it target any particular product category. Carriers that choose to participate in the study periodically submit shipment data captured through their respective freight auditing programs. The data is identified by NMFC item, and only verifiable data points, which include the weight and the dimensions and/or cube of the shipping unit involved, are used National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 5 of 7

Stowability When electrical switches are shipped in boxes secured to lift truck skids or pallets, or in crates, no unusual or significant stowability concerns are present.

6 Stowability When electrical switches are shipped in boxes secured to lift truck skids or pallets, or in crates, no unusual or significant stowability concerns are present. Larger products may be shipped secured on lift truck skids or pallets. Articles tendered in such a manner may be simply wrapped in plastic film and/or have little to no protective packaging around them, and they often include shipper instructions or precautionary markings such as Do Not Stack. 4 Liability The involved products are not perishable, unusually susceptible to theft, hazardous in nature, nor do they appear likely to damage other freight. When tendered in boxes or crates, they are not unusually liable to damage. However, when tendered secured on a lift truck skid or pallet without protective packaging, these products exhibit a greater susceptibility to damage compared to similar units tendered in a box or crate. Occasionally, when the articles are secured on a lift truck skid or pallet without protective packaging, they have a precautionary label describing it as a High Claim Item. However, responding carriers did not indicate a claims issue, and shippers reported zero to 48 claims annually. Value per pound ranges from $0.14 to $475.00, with an average of $28.85 per pound. Relationship to CCSB Policies and Guidelines CCSB policy calls for classification provisions to reflect a commodity s known transportation characteristics. The information of record indicates that the involved electrical switches range in density from 0.44 to pcf, with an average of pcf. The densities of record are widely distributed throughout the range. CCSB policy states that commodities or commodity groups exhibiting a wide density range not accurately reflected by a single overall average density may be assigned density-based classes; especially where there are no unusual or significant handling, stowability or liability characteristics and where there is no other feasible means of effectively narrowing the range. And where densities are distributed throughout the range, commodities or commodity groups may be assigned classes predicated on a full-density scale. Canceling items 61300, and with reference to the full-scale density-based provisions of item is consistent with the aforementioned CCSB policies and would combine electrical switches with similar commodities used in electrical wiring applications. Concurrently, item would be amended to specifically name circuit breakers or switches, including air-break switches or timing switches, in the viz. listing. 4 While this analysis refers to the transportation characteristics of electrical switches secured on lift truck skids or pallets, the present and proposed provisions do not allow for the involved articles to be tendered in this manner. 5 The CCSB s standard 11-subprovision density scale includes reference to Item (Rule) 170, the inadvertence clause, and Item (Rule) 171, the bumping privilege. Subject 11, Page 6 of National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc.

7 Notes, items 61301, 61302, 61303, and would be canceled as having no further application. Note, item would be amended by adding an additional listing to allow circuit breakers or switches to be shipped in crates or Packages 1241, 1273 or Precedent for this approach can be found in Subject 6 of Docket (September 2012). As a result of action taken on that proposal, provisions applying on cable terminals, cable terminal boxes or housings, electric meter sockets, or cable terminal or junction blocks were canceled with reference to item 63160, and concurrently the articles were included in the viz. listing. That proposal was approved as docketed, and the changes first appeared in Supplement 4 to NMF 100-AL, effective December 1, Based on the information of record, this proposal, as docketed, is consistent with CCSB policies and precedent National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. Subject 11, Page 7 of 7

Re: Cable Terminals, Cable Terminal Boxes or Housings or Electric Meter Sockets, or Cable Terminal or Junction Blocks

Re: Cable Terminals, Cable Terminal Boxes or Housings or Electric Meter Sockets, or Cable Terminal or Junction Blocks Staff Contact: William F. Mascaro Telephone (703) 838-1834 mascaro@nmfta.org Proponent: