Other Hazmat Issues

Hazardous Materials Incident Reporting

Hazmat is most dangerous when it's been released. Now what do you do?

Hazmat spill scenes are chaos at the very least. Who do you notify when an incident happens and how long do you have to notify them? It's boring reading, but we've included two complete regualtions (171.15, 171.16) that help guide you during an incident.

Transporting Wet Batteries: Let the confusion begin!

Taking a look at the exception for Transporting wet batteries

You're transporting batteries and sometimes you're placarded, and sometimes you're not. What gives? It's the wet batteries exception in the regulations that can confuse drivers, carriers and inspectors.

PHMSA issues editorial corrections to hazmat regulations

Final rule on parts 49 CFR Parts 107, 171, 172, 173, 174, 180 effective October 16, 2009

This final rule corrects editorial errors, makes minor regulatory changes and, in response to requests for clarification, improves the clarity of certain provisions in the Hazardous Materials Regulations. The intended effect of this rule is to enhance the accuracy and reduce misunderstandings of the regulations. The amendments contained in this rule are non-substantive changes and do not impose new requirements.

5 step examination / assignment for new explosives

General process as recommended by PHMSA

As recommended by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, this is the basic 5 step process any new explosive, except those that are produced by the United States Department of Defense, or the United States Department of Energy. New explosives must be examined and assigned a recommended shipping description, classification, and compatibility group by an agency authorized by the Associate Administrator to do so.

This examination and recommendation involves a 5-step process:

The producer of the new explosive submits appropriate data to the examining agency and requests advice on proper procedure to be followed in making a sample available for examination;
The examining agency provides written instructions, including a tentative shipping description and classification, on making the sample available for examination;
A sample is made available, utilizing the examining agency instructions for shipment (as permitted by 173.56(d));
Test results and recommendations of the examining agency are submitted to the producer of the new explosive;
The test results and recommendations are submitted to DOT in support of an application for a formal Classification of Explosives.