Lion News
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...
8/12/2014
State EPCRA Variations
The United States is a big nation with citizens who experience life differently in each state. Different food, different geography, and different music are only part of what makes the US an exciting place to live and work. That said, EHS managers know that there is another important difference between states, one that can cause...
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...
8/5/2014
When Lifting Objects, Do It Right
For many US employees, work involves tough manual labor, and one of the most common requirements is to lift heavy objects. Lifting objects is an everyday requirement of jobs in industries from manufacturing and construction to retail. Because heavy lifting is such an ordinary activity, workers may not take safety precautions seriously. Workers should be aware that...
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...
7/22/2014
EPA Discusses Rag Rule
On July 31, 2013, the US EPA promulgated a new final rule to relax hazardous waste management requirements for solvent-contaminated wipes (i.e., shop towels). Under this rulemaking, solvent-contaminated wipes that are laundered are conditionally excluded from regulation as solid waste, and discarded solvent-contaminated wipes are conditionally excluded from regulation as hazardous waste...
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...
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