The first full week of April found a number of interesting regulatory items. We’ll cover them all below. Meanwhile, April tends to be the lead-in month for much of the stormy springtime weather that many sections of our country experience. Be sure that your workplace severe weather plans are up to date and employees know what to do and where to go in case they need to shelter or evacuate. Here’s the week’s news:
PHMSA
The agency published its quarterly newsletter for Q2/2022. Items covered include meeting schedules, information about fireworks and small arms issues, and a variety of helpful links to various PHMSA website offerings. See the newsletter here.
The agency also published an ICR related to flammable liquids transport by rail. PHMSA continues to work on ways to improve safety in this area. See the ICR here.
OSHA
The agency invites interested parties to participate in a stakeholder meeting on the agency’s initiatives to protect workers from heat-related hazards. OSHA will provide an overview of its ongoing activities to protect workers from heat-related hazards, as well as an introduction to the agency’s rulemaking process and ways for the public to participate in that process. Additionally, participants are invited to provide public comments. The meeting will be held from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET on May 3, 2022. Find further information here.
Transport Canada
A new edition of an IBC manufacturing and use standard has been published:
CAN/CGSB 43.146 “Design, manufacture and use of intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) for the transportation of dangerous goods, Classes 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8 and 9”.
Full compliance with this standard is required by September 30th. See the standard here.
Used EV Maritime Shipping Restriction
In what may be a harbinger of more widespread restrictions, Mitsui OSK Shipping Lines has banned the transport of used electric only vehicles aboard its fleet of car carriers. The action follows the loss of the MV Felicity Ace, which caught fire and sank in the Atlantic Ocean on March 1st. The ship was carrying a large number of automobiles, including a number of extremely valuable and rare ones. The shipping line faces a large loss and is taking this action as a precaution, since although the exact cause of the fire is not known, an EV fire is suspected. For now, used hybrids are still allowed, and new vehicles are not affected. Note that this is a carrier, not a regulatory restriction. See more information here:
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