DOT PHMSA Posts Changes to Hazmat Regulations

In the Federal Register today, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration posted a Final Rule to make miscellaneous updates, revisions, corrections, and clarifications to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

DOT updates its hazmat shipping rules from time to time in response to petitions received from industry stakeholders like professional organizations and hazmat carriers. Hazmat shippers and carriers should take a look at the full list of updates, which covers about two full pages in today’s Federal Register.

For Lion Members, a Member Bulletin is on the way that details the major revisions made to the hazmat rules today. To learn more about Membership, visit Lion.com/Membership.

2 DGAC Petitions Addressed in Today’s PHMSA HMR Update

Two petitions made by the Dangerous Goods Advisory Council (DGAC) are addressed in today’s rulemaking.

DGAC petitioned PHMSA to make the following revisions:

1. “Remove the packing group PG II designation for certain organic peroxides, self-reactive substances, and explosives in the 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table.”
2. “Require that emergency response telephone numbers be displayed on shipping papers numerically. (49 CFR 172.604)”*   

*In other words, an emergency response number may not be written as something like “1-800-4HAZMAT,” because a number displayed alphanumerically may require extra time for a responder to translate into numbers and could even cause a dialing error. In a hazmat incident, every second counts.

These new 49 CFR hazmat rules take effect July 5, 2016.

Hazmat Shipper Workshops Coming Up

Today’s rulemaking is just the latest chapter in a constantly changing framework of requirements and restrictions for hazmat shipments.  Be confident you know what it takes to keep your shipments in compliance, and stay up-to-speed with the latest rules. Designed to satisfy US DOT’s three-year training requirement for hazmat employees, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Certification Workshop is trusted by shippers nationwide.

In June, a full-time Lion instructor will help shippers meet DOT mandates and learn the latest rules with hazmat workshops in Cleveland, Houston, Rochester, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Detroit, Cincinnati, and Columbus!

Tags: DOT, hazardous materials, hazmat shipping, new rules