Transport Canada published a revised standard for containers transport by rail. A CN train led by brand new CN 3011 crosses the Fox River in South Elgin, Illinois on October 15th, 2015. Photo © 10/2015 by Nikki Burgess; all rights reserved.

The last full week of winter featured St. Patrick’s Day, always a busy event in most American municipalities.  Hopefully everyone had a nice time, practiced safely!  The end of winter found regulatory activity continuing its relatively slow pace, though things were a little busier than has been the recent case, and EPA published a proposal regarding aerosols and Universal Waste that should interest many generators.  Here’s all the latest:

EPA

In the week’s biggest US news, the U.S. EPA released a proposed rule that if implemented as described will add “hazardous waste aerosol cans” to the Universal Waste Program.  This action could significantly ease the waste handling burden for many smaller generators and those who handle little other than emptied aerosol containers.  See the NPRM right here

PHMSA

The agency remains quiet in terms of rulemaking activity; however, it did publish three sets of special permit (SP) applications:

• https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-14/pdf/2018-05129.pdf
• https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-14/pdf/2018-05130.pdf
• https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-03-14/pdf/2018-05131.pdf

OSHA

• The safety agency was busy over the last two weeks; it published a revision to its Beryllium Exposure Rule, inserting a technical amendment that authorizes a new sequence of information collections activities.  See the change here
• OSHA also published a correction to its recently revised Vinyl Chloride Standard; the correction affects employee notification requirements.  See it here
• An ICR has also been published collecting information about participants in OSHA’s “Voluntary Protection Program” or VPP.  See this ICR right here
• Yet a third ICR deals with OSHA’s required reporting of injuries and illnesses by employers
• Does your company handle Methylene Chloride?  If so, this ICR is for you!  OSHA has published a request for renewal.  See it here
• Finally, a last ICR was published, referencing requirements in OSHA’s Control of Hazardous Energy, or Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) standards.  Here’s a look

FMCSA

The agency published an ICR related to its use of a revised information change request form for carriers to request modifications of their status under the FMCSR.  See the ICR here

Canada TDGR

• In significant news up north, Transport Canada has published a revision to its standards for containers used to transport dangerous goods by rail (TP14877).  The changes mainly impact tank cars, in continued reference to the changes required by the fatal derailment disaster in Lac Megantic, Quebec in August of 2013.  Revisions to the relevant TDGR DGL also feature as part of the update, as well as a variety of other harmonization efforts aimed at increasing congruence with the US.  See the update here
• The ministry also published an invitation to comment on their proposal to require registration for participants in Canada’s DG transport chain.  This proposal has generated no small controversy.  It would place Canadian practice mainly on a par with that found in the US under PHMSA.  If you’d like a chance to comment, here’s the way in

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