For those of you not familiar with the DOT Chart 14, it is a fantastic guidance document produced and distributed by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) within the US DOT. It contains helpful information on three of…
The Top Six Hazardous Material Transportation Violations
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) within the US DOT is tasked with enforcing the nations hazardous materials transportation regulations across all modes of transportation. The unannounced inspections of its agents of the regulated community, ie. shippers, receivers,…
Exception to the Segregation Restrictions of 49 CFR 177.848 for Lab Packs of Hazardous Waste
49 CFR 173.12 contains many exceptions to full regulation for shipments of hazardous waste in a lab pack. In an earlier blog post I discussed the exception in 173.12(d)that removes the need to include the technical name of a hazardous…
The Exception From use of the Technical Name for Lab Pack Shipments of Hazardous Waste
Sometimes when shipping hazardous materials the proper shipping name does not adequately describe the contents of the shipment. An example of this, found in the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) at 49 CFR 172.101 is the proper shipping name of: Flammable Liquids, n.o.s. This…
Status of Special Permits of the US DOT for the Transportation of HazMat
A Special Permit is a document which authorizes a person to perform a function that is not currently authorized by the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR). They are allowed when a person can demonstrate that the function can be performed safely…
Free Stuff from PHMSA for HazMat Employers
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin, 1817. One benefit of those taxes is the resources provided to you free of charge from government agencies. One of those agencies, the PHMSA within the US DOT, makes…
Special Permits, Exemptions, Approvals and Exceptions to the US DOT Hazardous Material Regulations
The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) contain everything you need to know about the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce; or do they? The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) within the US DOT understands that in some situations a hazardous material…
US DOT Exception for Combustible Liquid Hazardous Materials
You may be familiar with several hazardous materials such as diesel fuel or kerosene that, depending on their formulation, may have a slightly higher flashpoint than more obvious flammable liquids such as gasoline. However, you may not be aware of…
The Five Types of HazMat Employee Training
To achieve its goal of safe transportation of hazardous materials (HazMat), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) within the US DOT requires any person who performs a function involving the transportation of hazardous materials within the US to…
Applicability of the HMR to HazMat Unloading Operations
A HazMat Employee is defined at 49 CFR 171.8 as a full-time, part-time, temporary, or self-employed person who in the course of employment directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety. This includes but is not limited to persons who: Load, unload, or handle hazardous materials.…