The horse (even the iron ones!) knows the way to carry the sleigh through the white and drifted sn-o-ow! Thanksgiving week in Chicago in 2015 found a massive pre-holiday storm strike the area. Canadian National 8005 was bound into the snowy thick of it in suburban Mundelein, Illinois. We hope you have a safe and happy holiday this year! Photo © 11/2015 by Nikki Burgess; all rights reserved.
This week brings the Thanksgiving Holiday. On behalf of the Labelmaster family, please allow me to wish you a safe, peaceful, and happy Thanksgiving. We hope you spend it surrounded by those you care about. The week’s regulatory news was fairly sparse. Here’s the latest:
PHMSA
- The agency is acting to streamline the way it issues approval for specification (UNPOP) packaging. To standardize manufacturer and reconditioned approvals, PHMSA is proposing to terminate any M-number and R-number approvals (of specification/UNPOP packaging) that were previously issued without an expiration date. The termination of these approvals will take effect one year from the publication date of this notice. Approval holders must either show cause why their approvals should not be terminated or apply for a modification of their approval prior to the effective date to avoid termination. Once terminated, requests for reconsideration of the termination must be submitted within 20 days of the date of termination. See the details here
- PHMSA also published activity on a number of Special Permit (SP) actions. As is often the case, much of the activity centered on approvals related to cylinders, lithium batteries, and an assortment of requested exemptions involving transport via aircraft. See the links below for specifics:
OSHA
After several lengthy extensions to allow industry to catch up, OSHA has made effective the rule requiring certification training for crane and hoist operators. The rule, published as long ago as August, 2010, requires significantly enhanced training standards for the nation’s operators of cranes and hoists, which as one may guess, can pose a serious safety risk if mishandled. The effective date of the rule was delayed several times in response to industry pleas to allow more training time, but now OSHA has put the rule firmly into action, with November 10th being the deadline day. Do you use cranes and hoists in your workplace? Time to make sure you comply! See the link here for details
IATA
IATA published a news release on November 14th in which the organization addresses what it believes is the most effective way forward in dealing with the ongoing issues surrounding PED’s, or personal electronic devices, carried aboard passenger aircraft. An assortment of proposed and actual bans of such items from passenger cabins and or the cargo bay account security concerns by state actors including the US has roiled passenger travel since last summer. The IATA press release offers the organization’s current view of what to do next. See the release here
EU ADR
If you ship to, from, or through Denmark, there’s a change to the tunnel code in the Oresundstunnel that you should know about. The code now changes with the time of day, with Category D in effect from 0600 to 1900, and Category B in effect from 1900 to 0600. Tunnel restriction codes in the ADR often govern what routes a given dangerous good may be able to travel on, so be sure to check if you suspect that this change may impact your EU operations. See the change here
Labelmaster is a full service provider of products and services for the Hazardous Materials and Dangerous Goods professional, shippers, transport operators, and EH&S providers. See our full line of solutions at www.labelmaster.com.
