The middle of August finds much of the nation blanketed in smoke from western wildfires. If your business is located in an area where this is an issue, be sure to take steps to protect your employees from breathing problems. Many people who are fine on average weather days struggle in poor quality air. If you are your company’s HSE professional, be on the alert for signs of distress among your colleagues. An ounce of proactive prevention can be worth ten pounds of emergency response! The last two weeks held a variety of regulatory action; let’s get to it:
PHMSA
The agency released a new organizational chart. The chart shows the current setup of how the agency is led and ordered and reflects changes since the new administration entered office. Here’s your path to find it:
https://www.costha.com/uploads/PDF/1533668554_PHHOrgChar_7_12_2018.pdf
FMCSA
The agency issued an ICR titled, ‘‘Commercial Driver Licensing and Test Standards,’’ due to an increase in the number of commercial driver’s license records and the addition of one information collection item: ‘‘Driver completion of knowledge and skills tests 49 CFR 384.201.’’ This ICR is needed to ensure that drivers, motor carriers and the States are complying with notification and recordkeeping requirements for information related to testing, licensing, violations, convictions and disqualifications and that the information is accurate, complete and transmitted and recorded within certain time periods as required by the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986. See the ICR here:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-08-09/pdf/2018-17064.pdf
The agency has issued a revised version of the “Hazardous Materials Route Registry.” As its name suggests, this is a listing of the permitted routes over which certain types of hazmat may legally move, and under what conditions. Carriers use the list for dispatch and fee calculations. See the revision here:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-08-09/pdf/2018-17060.pdf
The agency issued an ICR related to CMV marking requirements in 49 CFR Part 390, which delineates such requirements. CMV markings are specialized and affect hazmat haulers. See the ICR here:
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-08-15/pdf/2018-17568.pdf
Canada TDGR
The Canadian equivalent to PHMSA is seeking comments for its latest effort at regulatory revision and modernization. The agency is asking for comments through September 15th, 2018. Here’s your portal to participate:
http://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p1/2018/2018-07-28/html/notice-avis-eng.html#nl7
EU ADR
Update to Multilateral Agreement M314. This agreement concerns a derogation to allow the carriage of certain Class 2.2 compressed gases in accordance with special provision 660 (which is not currently assigned to these materials) in the countries of Germany and the United Kingdom. See the agreement here:
https://www.unece.org/trans/danger/multi/multi.html
An update to Multilateral Agreement M313 was posted. M313 concerns the carriage of explosive substances and articles belonging to the Armed Forces set to be destroyed. This was added in Germany. Here’s the agreement:
https://www.unece.org/trans/danger/multi/multi.html
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