Hopefully this brings a little good news in a year filled with enough uncertainty and bad news to fill a lifetime. The US Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has finalized their final rule which “updates, clarifies, or provides relief from various regulatory requirements without adversely affecting safety.”
So, what does all this mean and when are the important dates? Great questions.
In an effort to clarify confusions surrounding the 2021-2022 International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR) Technical Instructions (TI) and International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) Amendment 40-20, The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrations (PHMSA) released the following statement on October 1, 2020:
You may or may not have heard from a coworker, friend, or even inspector that the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) was no longer taking enforcement actions against hazmat employers who were unable to provide recurrent training consistent with Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) training requirements due to Covid-19. While this may be true, it was only true for a certain period, more specifically 90 days from the date of issuance.
For those of you who have been following this rule since the beginning, the long-awaited arrival is complete. On July 24, 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in accordance with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced the Final Rule to allow for the bulk transportation of “Methane, refrigerated liquid” often referred to as liquefied natural gas (LNG), in rail tank cars.
On February 18, 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) disseminated a CBD Notice on their Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance in regards to CBD use. Although, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334 otherwise known as the Farm Bill, removed hemp from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, not all hemp-derived products are made the same.
It’s a new year and a new regulation addendum. Actually, it’s the first addendum to the 61st Edition IATA (International Air Transportation Association) Dangerous Goods Regulation (DRG). It’s fitting that it should take effect January 1, 2020. With everyone’s New Year’s resolutions and all. If your reading this, maybe your New Year’s resolution is like many, to read more. What better way to start the new year than educating yourself about the confusing world of hazmat shipping?
