PHMSA Raises Hazmat Civil Penalties

In the Federal Register today, the US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) posted an Interim Final Rule to raise the maximum and minimum civil penalties for violations of Federal hazardous materials regulations, law, special permits, and approvals.  
The maximum civil penalty has been raised from $75,000 per day, per violation to $77,114 per day, per violation.

For violations that result in death, serious illness, or severe injury or substantial property damage, the maximum civil penalty has been raised from $175,000 per day, per violation to $179,993 per day per violation.

Bigger Fines for Hazmat Training Violations

In addition, the minimum penalty for violations for failure to train hazmat employees will rise from $450 to $463 per day, per violation. Hazmat training violations are one of the few hazmat requirements that carry a minimum civil penalty. The minimum penalty for failure to train hazmat employees was added with the passage of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act.

The new hazmat civil penalties and hazmat training penalties take effect August 1, 2016.

Read the Interim Final Rule in the Federal Register.

DOT  Hazmat Training Requirements

Per 49 CFR 172.704, hazmat employees—including any worker who performs a pre-transportation function like classifying, packaging, marking, labeling, loading, unloading, or documenting hazmat shipments—must complete hazmat training within 90 days of hire. Once trained, hazmat employees must repeat training once every three years.

For more information on who needs hazmat training and what’s required, watch the video at Lion.com/Hazmat-Training.

Tags: DOT, fines and penalties, hazmat shipping, new rules, PHMSA