PHMSA Proposes HM 215-O to Harmonize 49 CFR with International Hazmat Requirements

US DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has proposed a harmonization rulemaking (HM 215-O) to conform the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR 171–180) to international standards.

Updates in the proposed rule will incorporate recent amendments to international regulation and consensus standards into 49 CFR and make changes to nearly every part of the hazmat rules, including Proper Shipping Names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, and quantity limits. 

Want to simplify the job of DOT, IATA, and IMDG hazmat compliance? Expert-led 49 CFR, IATA DGR, and IMDG Code workshops come to Hartford, Boston, New Jersey, and Philadelphia in January 2019, 

Expected to be published in the Federal Register on November 27, 2018, the proposed rule includes the following updates for hazmat shippers:
 

• Incorporate the newest versions of the 2019-20 ICAO Technical Instructions; the 2018 IMDG Code (Amendment 39-18); the 20^th Revised Edition of the UN Model Regulations; the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria; and the 7^th Revised Edition of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
• Amend the 172.101 Hazmat Table to reflect changes in the UN Model Regulations, IMDG Code, and ICAO Technical Instructions.
• Add a new classification system for articles containing hazardous materials that do not already have a dedicated Proper Shipping Name.
• Add a lithium battery test summary requirement to demonstrate appropriate UN design testing and proper classification.
• Amend the rules for aircraft passengers carrying baggage equipped with lithium batteries, i.e., “smart luggage.”
• Add segregation requirements for lithium cells and batteries shipped by passenger aircraft with flammable liquids and other hazardous materials. 
• Create non-testing alternative criteria for classifying corrosive materials.
• Extend the sunset dates for provisions concerning the transport of polymerizing substances (from Jan. 2, 2019 to Jan 2, 2021).

PHMSA believes these updates will clarify DOT’s hazmat shipping requirements and that most amendments will result in cost savings for shippers and stakeholders. 

Not every change to international regulations made the cut for HM 215-O. For a full look at what is and is not included in HM-215 O harmonization rule, see the proposed rule here.

DOT, IATA, & IMDG Hazmat Training in Hartford, Boston, New Jersey, and Philadelphia

Join us this month to develop a step-by-step approach to correctly prepare hazardous materials for ground, air, or vessel transport, in full compliance with domestic and international regulations (49 CFR, IATA DGR, and IMDG Code).

Reserve your seat now for Hartford, Boston, New Jersey, or Philadelphia workshops in January 2019. 

Online Hazmat Training for New and Experienced Hazmat Employees

New hazmat employees need a solid grasp of the hazmat regulations and what they must do to help maintain compliance. Every step of the hazmat shipping process is regulated in some way, and even small mistakes can lead to fines now approaching $80,000 per day, per violation.

The Shipping Hazmat by Ground—Ops Online Course provides hazmat general awareness, security awareness, and function-specific training for new or experienced hazmat employees. Personnel who complete this course learn how to comply with the regulations that govern their hazmat-related activities.

Tags: batteries, hazardous, hazmat, lithium, management, materials, new, PHMSA, rules, shipping