PHMSA/OSHA June rolls the summer in with continuing low levels of US regulatory activity; perhaps the biggest news is the preparations under way for the big July UNECE meeting over in Geneva, Switzerland. Will new international proposals impact the regulatory outlook here? We’ll keep an eye on it for you! Meanwhile, here is this week’s…
DG Digest: despite persistent rumors of movement, HM-215N remains in limbo
Happy Daylight Savings Time! Hopefully the famed “National Jet Lag Day” has not caused you too much angst. Statistics show that the Monday following the “Spring Forward” time shift is a peak day for traffic accidents, so please be extra careful. Regulatory activity continues at fairly low ebb, although it does seem to be slowly…
DG Digest: OSHA delays beryllium final rule and Trump issues E.O. on Waters of the United States Rule
The beginning of March continues to be slow with regulatory news as the “regulatory freeze” is still in effect in the United States. Reliable sources continue to tell us the release of the USDOT/PHMSA HM-215N UN Harmonization should be any day now….stay tuned! Here’s a summary of other industry news from last week: OSHA On…
DG Digest: PHMSA Harmonization, DOT Updates Drug-Test Program, and the EPA Modernizes Risk Management Plan
The week kicks off with the new Trump administration in place in Washington placing a “moratorium” on new rulemaking on the federal level. Rulemakings already in the pipeline will potentially be delayed as well. At press time the exact impact of the action is still somewhat cloudy. Be sure to see next week’s blog for…
DG Digest: a U.S. Appellate court clears the way for driver electronic log books and possible Supreme Court showdown
Just in case you got to work an hour early this morning, remember—we “fell back” an hour. On the good news side, it gives you plenty of time to catch up on the latest and greatest in the world of regulations. With Tuesday’s general election looming, the last week saw relatively limited action as the…
DG Digest: FMCSA Proposes Speed Limiting Devices, PHMSA May Update HMT, and China Takes Measures to Hault Zika Spread from U.S.
Together we marked the somber fifteenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks in the week just concluded. I hope that everyone had an opportunity to consider the impact to our nation of so terrible an event, and what it has meant to us as we have moved forward in to too often troubled times. Let…
USDOT/PHMSA formalizes requirements for “Reverse Logistics”
In today’s edition of the US Federal Register, the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule under Docket # PHMSA-2011-0143 (HM-253), RIN 2137-AE82 under which the agency sets forth specific rules to regulate the transport of materials under the so-called “Reverse Logistics” principle. This function…
DG Digest: From OSHA’s “Flashpoint” Definition to FRA’s Quiet Zones
Another eventful week on the DG/Transport Scene! OSHA OSHA issued a revised definition of “Flashpoint,” correcting a CFR omission in its most recent iteration of the 29 CFR. OSHA has partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) to create a new informational website which offers greatly enhanced safety guidance for users…
DG Digest: More Lithium Battery News, PHMSA Special Permits and FRA Fines Hit Record Heights
Several items of note occurred in the DG world last week, with new and revised regulations affecting everything from Limited Quantities to Lithium Batteries and a vital Federal Agency noting that its enforcement penalties were way up: ICAO/IATA Lithium Battery Rules Changes Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association…
Federal Register publishes HM-233F revisions to the HMR
The United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) yesterday published the newest rulemaking under its HM-233 Docket family. This incorporates various aspects of previously issued Special Permits (SP’s) into the body of the regulations. Specials Permits are administrative actions that grant specific users permission to do something outside of…