PHMSA Posts Hazmat Special Permit Notices

In the Federal Register on Friday, June 16, the US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) posted a series of notices regarding hazardous materials special permits.

Hazmat special permits are used for a variety of reasons, and typically provide some level of relief or variance to the requirements of DOT’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Typical hazmat special permit applications are requests to:
 

• Modify or expand the scope of an existing special permit;
• Authorize the use of alternative packaging or packaging orientation for hazardous materials;
• Allow for hazmat to be shipped or transported in ways otherwise prohibited; and more.

See PHMSA’s June 16 hazmat special permit announcements at the links below:

• 82 FR 115, pp. 27757-58
• 82 FR 115, pp. 27759-60
• 82 FR 115, pp. 27760-61

Adding Hazmat Special Permits to the HMR

Periodically, PHMSA reviews existing hazmat special permits and selects those with a proven safety record for incorporation into the HMR. Incorporating hazmat special permits into the 49 CFR regulations gives all shippers access to the flexibility of using the permit without the paperwork burden of applying or renewing special permit requests.

In January 2016, PHMSA incorporated 96 hazmat special permits into the text of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). For information on the hazmat special permits added to the HMR, read: PHMSA Adds 96 Special Permits to the HMR.

Samsung Requests Permanent Status for Lithium Battery Permit

One specific request in this batch of special permit applications is from Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Samsung would like allow the permanent use of its special permit DOT-SP 20325—issued as an emergency special permit to facilitate the recall of Samsung Note 7 devices in 2016—to permanent status. 

Samsung’s special permit, which authorized alternative packaging for damaged or defective lithium-ion batteries contained in equipment, expired on March 31, 2017. See the full text of Samsung’s lithium battery special permit here.  

Hazmat Training to Meet 49 CFR 172.704. IATA DGR 1.5, and IMDG 1.3.1

Be confident your employees know their responsibilities for 49 CFR, IATA DGR, and IMDG Code compliance! Initial and recurrent online courses are available to help you meet DOT’s 3-year training mandate for hazmat employees at 49 CFR 172.704. The IATA DGR requires hazmat training for air shippers once every 24 months (IATA DGR 1.5).

Through interactive exercises, tutorials, and professionally narrated lessons, learn a step-by-step approach to classify, name, package, mark, label, load, unload, and document your hazmat/DG ground, air, and vessel shipments.
 
 

Tags: DOT, hazmat shipping, PHMSA