The week just ended found regulatory activity about normal—several actions of interest including several Special Permit actions from PHMSA and a big new final rule from the FRA. In another story that is not currently receiving heavy US media coverage, our Canadian neighbors are experiencing an environmental and political dispute that has had a significant impact…
DOT PHMSA Hosts First Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee Meeting
Last week DOT PHMSA hosted the first Lithium Battery Air Safety Advisory Committee meeting at DOT Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and I had the pleasure of the attending the meeting alongside Labelmaster Services V.P. of Consulting, Pia Jala. Lithium cell and battery production throughout the world continues to grow at an astonishing rate due to…
DG Digest: PHMSA issues IRC on portable tanks and IBCs; FRA is proposing changes to train brake inspections
Mid-January finds the regulatory world getting busy again as the nation weathers fierce winter weather. The UNECE has a pair of very interesting published revisions to important documents; we cover that below, along with a variety of other actions. Meanwhile it’s the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday; the Labelmaster family wishes…
DG Digest: Semi-annual regulatory agendas & the new PHMSA Lithium Battery Committee
The final DG Digest of 2019 finds regulatory activity at a surprisingly high and extensive level for the holiday period; it’s usually a slow time, but not this year! 2019 is over; what will 2020 bring to the regulatory scene? Perhaps the biggest unresolved question in the United States remains the final status of the…
DG Digest: PHMSA extends comment period for its Liquefied Natural Gas by rail NPRM
The penultimate digest week of the year finds regulatory activity much busier than one might have otherwise expected it to be, with several actions of interest. Meanwhile, this week begins the heart of the holiday season. The Labelmaster family wishes you and yours a safe and joyous holiday! Here’s all the latest: PHMSA The agency…
DG Digest: PHMSA special permit to allow liquified natural gas on railways
Mid-December finds regulatory activity about average, with several actions. At this time of year, our employees can feel very distracted with holiday plans and parties, shopping, and other preparations. Let’s all be sure to help them stay focused on safety both in the workplace and off the job. No one wants a holiday accident to…
DOT’s Check the Box making progress against undeclared Dangerous Goods
Hazardous Matt is on a roll, and the “plain brown box” is in retreat. This time last year we took a first look at the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Check the Box program, a multimedia campaign that addresses the ongoing problem of undeclared Dangerous Goods—also known as the “plain brown box.” The star of the…
DG Digest: PHMSA seeks comments on IRC for high-hazard flammables trains
Welcome back from the long weekend! Hopefully everyone enjoyed a nice rest and safe travels. As one might expect with the shortened week containing the Thanksgiving holiday, regulatory action over the last seven days was relatively minimal. Here’s the action to begin December: PHMSA The agency published a request for comment on a proposed revision…
This Thanksgiving, DG also stands for “Deepest Gratitude.”
We know lots of Dangerous Goods professionals are on vacation this week, but the supply chain never takes a holiday. That’s why we’d like to take a few moments to share our thanks for everyone who helps keep our highways, skies, rails and oceans safe. Thank you to the truckers, pilots, train drivers and others…
DG Digest: OSHA to meet on policies to help improve worker safety in December
Mid-November found regulatory activity at minimal levels. Meanwhile, as the nation begins its transition into the holiday season, be sure that safety remains an important part of your employee population’s schedule. Here’s the latest news: OSHA The agency announced a meeting of its National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, which, as its name…