Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently changed the required size of the text to be used when marking the United Nations Identification Number (UNID Number) on packages of dangerous goods/hazardous materials. The UNID Number is a four-digit numerical designator (for example, UN1993) which provides an internationally recognized identification number…
Working Group to Begin Latest Revisions to ICAO Technical Instructions
This week sees the start of the new ICAO TI revision biennium! The 2013 regulations haven’t hit our collective desks yet and the ICAO experts are sitting down to talk about the next set of changes coming in 2015. Don’t you wish the politicians were as proactive?! And we’ve already seen some important variations to…
PHMSA Publishes Editorial Corrections and Clarifications Rule
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule today that incorporates a host of minor amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The “RRR” designation in the final rule description indicates that the rule was developed under the Retrospective Regulatory Review initiative that was imposed on regulatory agencies through Executive Order…
What’s New in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has released an overview of changes included in the newest edition of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code), Amendment 36-12. The document, produced by Exis Technologies, details changes to: Stowage and Segregation Sources of Heat Foodstuffs Limited Quantities Explosives Additionally, the document mentions that new UN numbers (up…
PHMSA Publishes Long-Awaited HM-215L Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Harmonization the Hazardous Materials Regulations with International Standards
The DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published the long-awaited HM-215L Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) today. The NPRM proposes a number of amendments to align the Hazardous Materials Regulations; 49 CFR Parts 171-180 (HMR) with the latest editions of the United Nations Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (17th revised…
ICAO Publishes Fifth Addendum to 2011-12 Technical Instructions
The International Civil Aviation Organization recently published Addendum No. 5 to the 2011-12 edition of its Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The addendum mainly consists of additions and modifications to variations for countries and airlines; concurrently, there are table changes included which are related to the aforementioned variations. The addendum…
2012 Dangerous Goods Instructors Symposium Just Around the Corner
I’m enduring the heat wave in an air-conditioned office putting together the final edits for AIR Shipper 2013! Once that’s off to the printer, we’re looking forward to seeing the instructors in Chicago in September for DGIS VII. We won’t have the book at the symposium, but I’ll be there to talk about the changes…
2013 A.I.R. Shipper Includes Changes to Lithium Battery Provisions, Package Quantity Rules
Production of the 2013 AIR Shipper is coming along. Odd years mean we’re including ICAO updates, so we’ll be featuring a black cover this time out. If you’re piloting a helicopter up in Alaska, you need to pay attention to this one! Of course, there are lots of other changes the ordinary dangerous goods shipper…
Reverse Logistics Addressed in PHMSA Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is requesting input to help formulate policies regarding the transport of hazardous consumer products during the “reverse logistics” portion of the supply chain. PHMSA published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) late last week soliciting public comments in order to identify ways to reduce the…
2012 Emergency Response Guidebook Now Available
The 2012 Emergency Response Guidebook, a must-have hazmat incident resource for first responders and hazmat shippers, is in stock! Standard-bound regular size (English and Spanish) and pocket size ERGs are available to ship immediately. Additionally, the remaining variations of the 2012 ERG are expected to arrive on the following dates: Pocket size spiral-bound 2012 ERG…