hazmat incident reporting

Leaking Hazardous Material in Transportation Results in HazMat Incident, but was it Reported?

The discovered leak of toluene and xylene from a 55-gallon drum transported by Wisconsin highway in February 2014 was reported and contained with, “…no real danger to life and health” according to Fire Chief of the responding community.  While that is certainly something to be thankful for, it then remains to determine if the HazMat Incident Reporting requirements of the PHMSA/USDOT were followed.

By reviewing the information available regarding the leak and the Hazardous Material Regulations, we will be able to determine if the correct HazMat Incident Report(s) were filed.

(more…)

The Required Information for an Immediate Notice to the NRC of a HazMat Incident

The HazMat transportation regulations of the PHMSA/USDOT at 49 CFR 171.15 require each person in physical possession of a hazardous material when in transportation (includes loading, unloading, and temporary storage) to immediately notify the National Response Center by phone or on-line in the event of certain incidents that occur during transportation.  The purpose of this article is to explain the specific information that must be included with an Immediate Notice of a specified HazMat Incident to the NRC. (more…)

The Requirement to Submit a Written HazMat Incident Report (DOT Form F 5800.1)

In an earlier article I wrote about the two types of HazMat Incident Reports required by 49 CFR 171.15 & 171.16, respectively:  Telephonic & Written.  The article continued by revealing that the responsibility to submit a HazMat Incident Report will usually fall on the carrier and not the shipper since they are the ones most likely to be in “control” of a hazardous substance when it is in transportation.  Therefore, a carrier of HazMat must be aware of these reporting requirements while a shipper of HazMat should be aware of them.  In this article I’ll review the conditions that require the submittal of a written hazardous materials incident report (DOT Form 5800.1) per 49 CFR 171.16. (more…)

Who is Responsible for Submitting the Hazardous Material Incident Report?

The Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) of the PHMSA/USDOT require the reporting of certain types of incidents that occur during the transportation of hazardous materials (HazMat).  As a shipper or carrier of a HazMat you must be aware of the regulatory requirements and your responsibility for reporting a Hazardous Material Incident.  This article will identify who is responsible for the reporting of a Hazardous Material Incident pursuant to the HMR.

(more…)