§ 113.1

Establishment of post offices.

(a) Where established. Post offices, and branches and stations, are established and maintained at locations considered necessary for the convenience of the postal customer.

(b) Requirements-(1) Post Offices. While there is no fixed minimum population requirement for the establishment of an independent post office, we consider this factor. Post offices are established when we cannot give adequate service through the post office, station or branch now serving the area; through a new station or branch; or by an extension of city, rural or star route delivery.

1 See §§ 124.8 (d), 131.2 (c) (5) (ii), and 142.7.

Post offices are not established solely for community identity.

(2) Stations. Classified, contract, and rural personnel and nonpersonnel stations are established where needed within the service limits of an independent post office. Units established within the corporate limits of the city, town or village where the main post office is located are designated as stations.

(3) Branches. Classified, contract, and rural personnel and nonpersonnel branches are established within the service limits of an independent post office. Units established outside of the corporate limits of the city, town or village where the main post office is located are designated as branches. Classified and contract branches cannot be established at locations more than 20 miles outside the corporate limits of the city, town, or village where the main post office is located and must serve a population of not less than 1,500 persons. The 20-mile limitation and 1,500 population requirement do not apply to airports, military installations, rural personnel, and/or nonpersonnel branches. Where the parent post office is located in an unincorporated city, town or community, all postal units administratively attached to that post office are designated as branches. § 113.2 Hours of business.

(a) Business Days, First-, Second-, and Third-Class Offices. (1) Provide window service, including registry service, 82 continuous hours, unless otherwise authorized by the Regional Postmaster General, during the business portion of the day. Consolidate money order service with other window service; except that an exclusive money order window may be provided when more than 350 orders a day are issued, provided the transactions are spread over the entire day and are not concentrated during a brief rush period. Limit exclusive money order windows to 8 hours service a day, usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When these services are consolidated with others, transact money order business during the hours the joint window is open.

(2) Extend window service whenever it is specifically determined to be in accordance with the needs of the commu

nity. If additional expense is involved, prior approval must be obtained from the Regional Postmaster General. Auxiliary money order windows may be opened during rush hours where this service is consolidated with other window services.

(3) If there is a total or partial suspension of general business on Saturday afternoon, or on some other workday, reduce window, collection, delivery, and other services accordingly. However, an employee shall be on duty when the rural carriers return.

(4) Obtain approval of the Regional Postmaster General before inaugurating night service at post offices, stations, or branches when this service involves expense for clerk hire, fuel, or light. Some post office lobbies are open at night to permit customers to deposit mail and obtain mail from lockboxes.

(5) If special instructions on hours of window service are desired, send request to Regional Postmaster General.

(6) The agreement for conduct of a contract station or branch provides that the contractor will transact specified postal business during the hours his establishment is open for business or during such hours as the postmaster may designate. However, for the convenience of the public, the contractor may, on his own initiative, sell postal money orders and stamps at other than the hours designated by the postmaster.

(b) National holidays. Post offices are kept open on holidays for such time as necessary to meet reasonable requirements of the public. Receive, collect, and dispatch mail in accordance with holiday schedules. Distribute incoming mail to post office boxes at the main office and, generally, to post office boxes at stations and branches. Only special-delivery matter shall be delivered. The following holidays are observed:

(1) New Year's Day.

(2) Washington's Birthday.

(3) Memorial Day.

(4) Independence Day.

(5) Labor Day.

(6) Columbus Day.

(7) Veterans' Day.

(8) Thanksgiving Day.

(9) Christmas.

(10) Other days set aside by the President as holidays.

(c) Local holidays. (1) Post offices shall not be closed on local or State holidays. Mail shall be received and dispatched as usual. Make city, village, and

rural deliveries in regular manner. Window services may be reduced.

(2) Do not release regular employees from duty on State or local holidays if substitute replacements are necessary or if their absence would result in the use of substitute time or overtime on that or any later date.

(3) Do not grant other time off for service performed on local or State holidays.

(4) Keep record of service curtailment.

(d) Sundays--(1) First- and secondclass offices. First- and second-class offices shall not be opened on Sunday to deliver mail to general public. Sunday duty schedules shall cover only employees needed to collect and prepare mail for dispatch, to deliver special-delivery mail, and to perform incoming mail distribution considered necessary to lock boxes, and to avoid congestion and delays in delivery on Monday.

(2) Third- and fourth-class offices. Third- and fourth-class offices need not be opened on Sundays unless mail arrives after Saturday closing hour and before 6 p.m. Sunday. If mail arrives during these hours and public convenience requires its delivery on Sunday, the office may be opened to the public once for not more than 1 hour. Sale of postage stamps, registration of mail, and delivery of registered mail on Sundays is left to postmaster's option. Money orders need not be issued or paid. Deliver special delivery mail which arrives during these hours.

(e) Lobby. The post office lobby, including separate box lobbies, may remain open at the postmaster's discretion when no one is on duty if screen work extends to ceiling and if all doors, windows, and wickets connecting lobby with workroom are securely locked and police protection is adequate.

§ 113.3 General delivery.

(a) Use. General delivery is primarily for use at offices without carrier delivery to serve transients and for other customers who prefer not to use lockbox service. Mail endorsed, Transient, To Be Called For, General Delivery, or with other suitable words, will be placed in the general delivery case to be delivered to the addressee on his application and proper identification.

(b) Where carrier deliveries are provided. General delivery service is pro

PART 121-PACKAGING

the strength of the package. The types of loads are:

(1) An easy load. Items of moderate density, which completely fill the container, or items packaged in interior containers which completely fill the outer mailing container. Easy loads are not readily damaged by puncture or shock and do not shift or otherwise move within the package or present a hazard to other parcels.

(2) An average load. Moderately concentrated items, which are packed directly into a shipping container or which may be subjected to an intermediate stage of packing, and which provide partial support to all surfaces of the container. Average loads may be prepackaged by wrapping or by positioning in partitions or paperboard boxes or by other means which provide some support to the faces of the package.

(3) A difficult load. Items which require a high degree of protection to prevent puncture, shock or distortion either to themselves or the package. Fragile items, delicate instruments, high density, small bulk items, etc., which do not support the mailing container are not acceptable in paperboard or fiberboard boxes or bags or wraps of any type.

(b) Other definitions. The "Glossary of Packaging Terms" also defines terms frequently used in the packaging field. This joint Government-industry developed document may be obtained from the Packaging Institute Inc., 342 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Federal Government agencies may obtain it as the current revision of Federal Standard 75 from established distribution points.

§ 121.3 Packaging for mailing.

(a) Preservation. It is the responsibility of the mailer to provide protection against deterioration or degradation of the contents. Preshipment testing is practiced by the airline carriers and by many company managers to determine the effectiveness of their packaging as well as the durability and the quality of their product. The mailer should be aware of the characteristics of the item he is mailing, the transit time, and the mail handling and transportation environment. Postmasters and customer services representatives will keep customers advised on service and transit times for parcel post.

(b) Containers acceptable for mailing (1) Boxes. (i) Paperboard boxes, similar to suite boxes, are acceptable for easy and average loads up to 10 pounds.

(ii) Metal-stayed paperboard boxes are acceptable for easy and average loads up to 20 pounds.

(iii) Solid and corrugated fiberboard boxes are acceptable for easy and average loads up to the following weight limits:

(A) 175 pound test board up to 20 pounds.

(B) 200 pound test board up to 45 pounds.

(C) 275 pound test board up to 70 pounds.

(iv) Wood, metal or plastic boxes are acceptable for all types of loads depending on the adequacy of their construction, their ability to withstand the forces of shock and pressure, and their potential as a source of damage to other items. Boxes with difficult loads to out of town

destinations will be reinforced with banding about every six inches in each of the two directions around the package.

(v) The size of the box must be adequate to contain the item(s) and provide enough extra space for cushioning material. If the box is too large and the load is not properly blocked and cushioned, the contents will shift in transit. If it is too small, the cushioning will not be effective and container failure is liable to occur.

(vi) Good, rigid used boxes with all flaps intact are acceptable. If a box of the desired size cannot be found, a larger one may be cut down as shown in Illustration 1. Bend the four sides over the articles which have been cushioned in the box and close and band as in illustration 7. Illustration 2 shows a method of making an acceptable container by using two boxes of the same general dimensions from which the flaps have been removed.

(2) Outside wraps for boxes. Paperboard and fiberboard boxes may be wrapped as shown in Illustration 3. Closure and reinforcement may be accomplished by the use of tape, twine, or cord. See paragraph (d) of this section. Although wrapping paper equivalent to a regular large grocery bag, 60 pounds basis weight, may be used as an outside cover

The usual point of fracture is at the taped corners.

for boxes, it is preferable that paper wrappers be omitted if the box itself constitutes an adequate shipping container.

(3) Bags, bales, bundles and wraps. Bags, bales, bundles and wraps shall not be accepted with difficult loads. The contents in bags, bales, bundles and wraps will be compressed whenever possible:

(i) Paper bags and wraps are acceptable for easy loads of up to five pounds when they are at least 60 pounds basis weight, the strength of the average large grocery bag, and the items are immune from impact or pressure damage. A combination of plies adding up to or exceeding 60 pounds is not acceptable (e.g. three plies of 20 pound basis weight paper). Reinforced bags are acceptable for easy and average loads of up to 10 pounds. Nonreinforced loose-fill padded bags are not acceptable as exterior containers, except when the exterior ply is at least 60 pounds basis weight.

(ii) Plastic bags shall, as a minimum, be at least four mil thick polyethylene or equivalent for easy loads up to five pounds and six mil for easy loads up to 10 pounds. Experience indicates that plastic bags, which will stretch and resist puncturing, are more durable than most nonreinforced paper bags and provide a

high degree of waterproofness. However, the ordinary plastic bag is to be avoided.

(iii) Cloth bags are acceptable for easy and average loads of up to 10 pounds provided their seams are equivalent in strength to the basic material.

(iv) Bales and bundles are acceptable within postal weight limits provided they are adequately compressed and reinforced to contain the material.

(4) Envelopes. Envelopes are acceptable as containers for stationery, publications, and similar material up to one pound in weight and one inch in thickness. Many other items may be mailable in large envelopes or flats if stiffeners provide a flat and stable surface. Pens, bottle caps, and similar items are not acceptable in letter size envelopes because they could burst the envelope and damage mail processing equipment or injure employees.

(5) Fiberboard Tubes and Similar Long Packages. Fiberboard tubes and similar long packages are acceptable providing their length does not exceed 10 times their girth. As a minimum, the