Compliance Topics - Hazmat Shipping
8/28/2014
PHMSA Proposes Amendments to Hazmat Regulations: Maintains Harmonization with International Standards
On August 25th, at 79 FR 50742, the United States Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed to amend the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 100–199) to maintain alignment with evolving international standards.
Public comments on the proposal must be received by October 24, 2014. A Final Rule is...
8/21/2014
New Proposals in Hazmat Regulation
On August 11, at 79 FR 46748, the Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (DOT PHMSA) proposed to revise the Hazardous Material Regulations applicable to return shipments of certain hazardous materials by motor vehicle.
Hazmat “reverse logistics”—how retailers, manufacturers, and distributors deal with product returns of hazardous materials—is a pressing...
8/21/2014
Significant Changes to IATA’s 56th Edition DGR
This fall, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will publish the 56th Edition of its Dangerous Goods Regulations. Compliance with the 56th edition DGR is mandatory starting January 1, 2015. To help shippers stay up-to-date with the latest hazmat air shipping rules, below is a summary of major changes that will appear in IATA’s forthcoming edition...
8/19/2014
How Small Is Too Small for Hazmat Markings?
In 2013, domestic and international regulatory agencies (DOT, IATA, and IMO) implemented regulations to standardize the size of markings on packages of hazmat. Standardization across national borders, modes of transportation, and industry sectors streamlines compliance, reduces confusion, and increases the safety, security, and efficiency of international hazmat transportation. During this process, the one element that...
8/6/2014
PHMSA’s New Lithium Battery Rulemaking Published Today
Today’s Federal Register includes a new US DOT Final Rule that makes major changes to the requirements for shipping lithium batteries in or from the US. The Final Rule incorporates international standards into the US DOT’s Hazardous Materials Regulations. These new lithium battery shipping regulations are effective immediately, and shippers have until...
7/29/2014
DOT and OSHA Criteria for Biohazards
Infectious substances and pathogens are regulated by both the US DOT and OSHA due to the unique hazards they pose, namely causing disease in humans or animals. The DOT and OSHA regulations vary in scope because the two programs have different goals: the former seeks to ensure the safety of hazmat transported on public roads, while the latter...
7/29/2014
US Postal Service Revises Standards for Hazardous Material
On July 24, 2014, the United States Postal Service, in Postal Bulletin 22394, declared its intention to revise the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) as part of an initiative to eliminate redundancy and streamline information. For lithium battery shippers, this revision is especially important: Under Section 662.52 of the DMM, the allowance for mailing laptops and other portable electronics powered by lithium-ion batteries through airmail has...
7/15/2014
Hazmat in Healthcare: Division 6.2 and Medical Waste
Hazardous materials shippers have many responsibilities under US DOT regulations. The first and arguably most important step of the hazmat shipping process is classifying the material.
If this first step is done incorrectly, the packaging selected for the shipment may not be compatible or strong enough; the marks, labels, and shipping papers will be inaccurate; etc. In the event of an incident in transit...
6/17/2014
Shipping Cryogenic Liquids Safely
Cryogenic liquids (i.e., cryogens) have unique properties that create a very different set of concerns and requirements when compared to materials like flammable liquids, corrosives, and poisons. The majority of the differences focus on packaging. In this article, we will limit the discussion to smaller packages such as cylinders and Dewar flasks and not worry about bulk shipments or tanks...
6/13/2014
IATA Issues Addendum II to 55th Edition DGR
On June 6, 2014, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) published the second addendum to its 55th Edition (2014) Dangerous Goods Regulations. Compliance with the 55th Edition DGR has been mandatory since January 1 of this year. Below is a summary of some of the revisions made in this Addendum...
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