The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) held a joint public meeting in Washington, DC on September 18th. The principal topic of discussion was the situation regarding the transport of lithium batteries via aircraft. This past summer, many individual airlines took action to limit the…
New DOT/PHMSA Interpretation Brings Some Clarity to the Lithium Ion Watts Issue
In a formal Letter of Interpretation dated August 19th, 2015 to Mr. Mike Revis USDOT/PHMSA stated categorically that a Lithium Ion Battery being shipped under the exceptions granted in 49 CFR 173.185(c) may have cells which feature watt hour ratings greater than 20 watt hours as long as the battery itself remains less than one…
Infographic | The Essential ERG (Emergency Response Guidebook)
The Emergency Response Guide—better known as the ERG— is the first resource for identifying and responding to chemical hazards in a transportation emergency. You’ll find it anywhere people have a stake in the safe handling, transport and storage of Dangerous Goods. New additions, revisions and updates make the 2016 ERG the most essential ever. Here…
When You Violate DG Shipping Regulations, Fines Can Stack Up
Having mislabeled or incorrectly marked cargo could mean delayed shipments and fines from violations. And with ever-changing rules and regulations, things can get complicated. We can help. We have complied a list of seven types of common violations and how you can avoid them: www.labelmaster.com/common-violations
DG Spotlight | PHMSA Harmonizing HMR with UN Model Regulations, IMDG and ICAO
As part of its ongoing effort to harmonize Hazardous Materials Regulations; 49 CFR Parts 171–180 (HMR) with international standards, PHMSA published the HM-215M Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on August 25, 2014. The comment period for these proposed changes lasts until October 24, 2014, and you can read our expanded coverage of the NPRM announcement…
US DOT/PHMSA Issues Interpretation Letter Regarding Class 9 Labels and Placards
In the July 20th, 2011 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 No. PHMSA–2009–0151 (HM–218F)] under which the agency, among many other things, set forth new specifications and requirements governing the appearance of the Class 9…
USDOT/PHMSA Issues New Special Permit Actions
The United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today issued an end-of-the-fiscal-year listing of actions pertaining to Special Permits, including those applied for, those granted or withdrawn, and those modified. A variety of subjects are addressed, including issues affecting the transport of explosives, batteries, testing of UN Spec cylinders,…
USDOT/PHMSA Releases NPRM on Special Permit and Authority Approval Procedures for Fireworks Policies
In the September 24th 2014 edition of the US Federal Register, the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published two clarifications of their fireworks policies under Docket #’s PHMSA-2013-0205; Notice No. 14-4 and 14-5 in which the agency sets forth acceptable criteria for defining for classification purposes both…
USDOT/PHMSA Releases Call for Comments on 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook
In the September 2nd, 2014 edition of the US Federal Register, the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published an initial call for comments and suggestions in reference to the upcoming revision and publication of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG), due out in 2016. The book is revised…
The Buzz: Upcoming End to Class 9 Hazard Label Transition Period has the Hazardous Materials Community Talking
In the July 20th, 2011 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 No. PHMSA–2009–0151 (HM–218F)] under which the agency, among many other things, set forth new specifications and requirements governing the appearance of the Class 9…