ANPRM

PHMSA Has Your Best Interest At Heart

For those of you who aren’t quite sure what ANPRM stands for, it represents an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. In January 2017, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), of the Department of Transportation (DOT), considered revising the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to make transportation of unrefined petroleum-based products (and potentially all Class 3 flammable liquids) by any mode of transportation safer through vapor pressure standards.

However, after receiving and reviewing submitted comments in response to the 2017 ANPRM, PHMSA has decided to rescind their initial proposal. PHMSA specifically stated it believes it “is not justified because such a regulation would not improve the safety of transporting crude oil by rail.” But however, did they come to this conclusion you ask? Great question.

PHMSA, after examining the results of the Sandia Study, and much consideration of the public comments, found that vapor pressure of crude oil is not a significant factor in the severity of pool fires or fireballs scenarios that result from accidents in transport. Therefore, it has withdrawn its initial proposal from imposing vapor pressure standards from all modes of transportation. The full propose rule can be read HERE.

So, what does that mean for you? It means that there is one less standard to worry about, and that PHMSA takes your comments seriously. Whether you are for, or against a proposed rule, this proves PHMSA listens to your concerns. And speaking of concerns, whether you’re worried about COVID-19 or your annual refresher training, Transportation Compliance Associates (TCA) can satisfy all your hazardous materials shipping and training needs. We offer a wide variety of courses covering the most popular modes of transportation: Air, Ground, or Sea. We also offer a complete compliance solutions to meet ALL your hazmat needs, so you can work smarter and not harder. For a 100% Free consultation call us at (724) 899-4100 or check us out at learnhazmat.com and one of our team members will help you decide what industry leading training and compliance program best suits your needs. And, if you enjoyed this quick read, don’t forget to opt-in to our newsletter where you can receive exclusive training offers, regulation changes, and other important industry news!