The United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a Safety Alert to railroads operating in the United States which cautions them about potential confusion or other risks associated with the presence of both LED and incandescent bulb type signal aspects placed adjacent to one another at rail junctions. Railroads are in the process…
ICAO releases Corrigendum #1 for the 2015 – 2016 edition; addresses the carriage of Lithium Metal Batteries aboard passenger aircraft
On December 10th, 2014, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued an Electronic Bulletin (EB 2014/72) which announced the release of Corrigendum #1 (itself dated November 20th, 2014) to their 2015 – 2016 edition of the Technical Instructions for the Safe Handling of Dangerous Goods, commonly referred to in the industry as the ICAO TI. The…
The Changing Regulations Pertaining to the Transportation of Lithium Batteries
In August of 2014 the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) promulgated final rule HM-224F affecting the safe transport of lithium batteries[i]. DOT announced that the resultant effects from the revisions of HM-224F will “strengthen safety conditions for the shipment of lithium cells and batteries. These changes, some of which focus specifically on shipments by air,…
DG and the C-suite: What every executive needs to know
In the first Master Series video, Labelmaster President Alan Schoen makes the case that Dangerous Goods (DG) shipping should be a topic at the CEO level and needs to be a bigger business discussion than it currently is. Beyond simply avoiding fines, proper DG management can be a core competitive advantage.
‘Why do I need a new Air Regs book every year?’
I’m often asked: why do I need a new Air Regs book every year? Always an interesting question and the answer changes every year! For 2015 though, it’s really simple. This is an ICAO year, one in which there’s a new edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions which is worldwide legal requirements for transporting dangerous…
USDOT/FRA Issues Final Rule Mandating Improved Employee Training for Railroads, Contractors, Related Groups
On Friday, November 7th, 2014, the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a final rule mandating significant improvements to the way training and the documentation of training for both railroad employees and the employees of railroad industry contractors (i.e. track and infrastructure construction maintenance and other activities related to actual…
Infographic | What exactly are Dangerous Goods?
Beyond explosives, corrosives and other flammable or radioactive materials, the Dangerous Goods classification encompasses a surprising array of everyday items. This infographic takes a look at some of the things people might be surprised to learn are regulated when it comes to shipping. To learn more about these and other important DG topics…
Identifying Non-hazardous Materials Effectively for Transport
The United States Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a major revision to the regulations governing hazard communication in the US 29 CFR 1910.1200 in May of 2012. The revision, which in large measure conformed US hazard communication standards, or the HCS, to those of the United Nations Globally Harmonized…
OSHA Announces November 12th, 2014 Washington Meeting in Preparation for December UN GHS Conference in Geneva
In the October 29th edition of the Federal Register, the United States Department of Labor’s (USDOL) Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) issued a notice announcing that a public meeting will be held in Washington, DC on November 12th from 1 PM to 4 PM Eastern Time (EST) addressing the planned agenda and issues to…
Shipping Placards: Dangerous Goods on roads and rails
Placards play a vital role in Dangerous Goods transportation if an incident occurs—they alert first responders to any potential hazards in the shipment. In this video, Abe Samuel, National Sales Manager (and inventor of the Spacemaster® flip placard system), talks about the history of placarding and how shippers can stay compliant with the current regulations.