HR 658 Transporting Lithium Batteries in the United States

Lithium Batteries
Ever since January 11, 2010, when Hazardous Materials docket HM-224F was published concerning Lithium batteries, the entire global shipping and transportation industry was very concerned that the ability to send lithium batteries via air transport was going to be severely restricted in the United States.
In January 2010, the DOT proposed to remove exceptions for small lithium batteries (Section II of the Lithium Battery packing instruction numbers of the IATA/ICAO Regulations), effectively making them fully regulated Class 9 hazardous materials like their medium and large-sized counterparts.

Change of Direction
Approval today, April 5, 2011, by the U.S. House of Representatives of HR 658, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization and Reform Act, which includes a provision directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), to ensure that its regulations governing the air transport of lithium ion or lithium metal batteries and products that contain or are packed with these batteries are no more stringent than international requirements in place at any time. The one exception allowed is the continuance of the U.S. prohibition of air shipment of lithium metal cells and batteries on passenger aircraft.

The House approved HR 658 by a vote of 223-196 and will have to reconcile it with a Senate-passed bill that does not include any provisions pertaining to lithium batteries. The battery provision, offered by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL), was approved by a bipartisan vote of 251-168.

Chairman Mica's harmonization amendment directs DOT to not issue or enforce any regulations regarding the air transportation of lithium metal cells or batteries, or lithium ion cells or batteries, or products that use them, that are more stringent than requirements pertaining to lithium batteries in the 2011-2012 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air or any future amendments to those instructions.
Although this Approval is not a Final Rule yet in the transportation regulations of the USA, it gives the transportation industry and shippers of Lithium Batteries the insight necessary for them to make business decisions on the future ability to transport lithium batteries by air in the United States.

Missing entry in 49 CFR Government Edition discovered

There have been two missing entries discovered from the 49 CFR Government Edition book published earlier this year in April. The missing entries are:

• UN3469, Paint related material, flammable corrosive
• UN3267, Corrosive liquid, basic, organic, n.o.s.

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has acknowledged many problems with the table and plans on correcting the missing entries with future harmonization or correction dockets due out.

PHMSA updates emergency response information requirements in HM-206F for shipping papers

In an effort to enhance safety — the DOT / PHMSA has issued a final rule relating to emergency response telephone numbers in 49 CFR Parts 172 and 174 via the Federal Register (HM-206F) regarding the requirements of emergency response information provided by offerors (shippers).

To promote the effectiveness and safety of transporting hazardous materials, PHMSA is requiring a contact name or contract number be placed on shipping papers in relationship to the emergency response information. This information must be provided in a prominent position on the shipping paper with acceptable locations being along with the offeror's shipping address, or above/below/in relation to the emergency response information.

Additional wording has been revised in §172.604(b) with new information in §172.604(b)(1) and (2) regarding this matter.

The effective date of this final rule on shipping papers has been amended to October 1, 2010. A voluntary compliance date of November 18, 2009 is also effective on shipping papers.

The DOT / PHMSA will be issuing a new updated final rule regarding this matter later today pertaining to the effective date and new information provided in §172.604(b)(1) and (2), to help clarify its intent.

To read the full update, click here for Federal Register HM-206F.

PHMSA Releases 2008 Enforcement Notice for Hazmat Fines and Penalties; Don't Be Caught With Undeclared Hazmat or Without Hazmat Training!

Receiving fines and penalties for improperly declaring hazardous materials (or failure to declare hazmat at all) can unnecessarily drive up the cost of doing business. It can even put you out of business!

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a division of the U.S. DOT, has published its Enforcement Notice for 2008 regarding fines and penalties incurred on businesses for failing to comply with hazmat regulations.

During the 2008 calendar year, PHMSA has closed 130 cases of Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) violations and served $1,135,256.81 in fines for hazmat compliance failure.

To read the full report on PHMSA's website, click on the link below:

PHMSA 2008 Enforcement Notice

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Avoid Having Your Business Listed on the 2009 PHMSA Enforcement Notice

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. provides hazmat training and hazmat software to help your business maintain regulatory compliance within the United States and internationally around the world.

We have also recently introduced Hazmat University, our online platform for delivering online hazmat training globally as an efficient means of maintaining regulatory compliance for initial and recurrent training requirements.

Hazmat University features instant enrollment, self-paced learning, reduced tuition costs compared to traditional instructor-led, classroom training programs, and free technical support!

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Bureau News and Updates

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. is now on Facebook! Become a fan of our Facebook page and receive up to the minute hazmat alerts, news, special promotions, and sneak peeks at the latest innovations being developed!

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DOT hazmat training for ground transport is now available online at Hazmat University, our platform for online hazmat training

Hazmat University is proud to introduce its online U.S. DOT ground training courses, based on the most current Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (also known as the Hazardous Materials Regulations - HMR).

Hazmat University - Online DOT Ground Training Now Available!

Satisfy domestic hazmat training requirements in the United States for transporting hazardous materials by ground transport with our new DOT ground training courses online! Based on Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR), Hazmat University offers a full line of online training courses for initial and recurrent hazmat employees who require hazmat training (as required in §172.704 of 49 CFR).

Our DOT hazmat training courses are offered as packages, suites and individual modules. Packages includes all applicable course modules related to the package. Suites are specialized courses that include course modules applicable to a specific topic. And individual course modules allow students to learn or refresh upon individual topics, providing greater focus and emphasis on job-specific functions.

Here is just a sample of some online DOT hazmat training courses that are offered:

DOT Ground Training Initial Online Package
Includes the following initial modules: regulatory and training, classification, identification, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding, safety and security awareness regarding the transport of hazardous materials by ground transportation. Satisfies initial hazmat training requirements for DOT 49 CFR §172.704.


DOT Ground Training Recurrent Online Package
Includes the following recurrent modules: regulatory and training, classification, identification, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding, safety and security awareness regarding the transport of hazardous materials by ground transportation. Satisfies recurrent hazmat training requirements DOT 49 CFR §172.704.


We also have a Packaging and Communications suite for initial and recurrent online hazmat training that the includes following initial modules: regulatory and training, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding and security awareness.

To view a complete list of our online DOT hazmat training courses, and also featuring online air hazmat training based on IATA regulatory guidelines, available through Hazmat University, please click on the link below:

Online Hazmat Training at Hazmat University

Hazmat University - Upcoming Online Training Courses

In addition to our current online air training and online ground training courses, Hazmat University will be debuting its online IMO vessel and online infectious substances training courses in the following weeks to come (we're thinking early September). Specialized online training courses are also being developed for Lithium Batteries and Air Carriers.

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods is a global provider of hazmat training and hazmat software solutions. If you cannot find what you're looking for through our online platform for hazmat training at Hazmat University, please contact us for more hazmat training solutions.

To contact the Bureau of Dangerous Goods and speak with a friendly training representative, please give us a call:

1 (609) 860-0300

Or visit our website at:

Hazmat Training and Hazmat Software - Bureau of Dangerous Goods

Online hazmat training at Hazmat University is now available for IATA and DOT 49 CFR training; IMDG vessel online training coming soon!

Hazmat University - our online platform for providing multimodal hazmat training worldwide via the Internet is now available and open for business! We'd like to give you an in-depth look and show you how our online hazmat training courses can benefit your hazmat employees and business.

First, let's take a look at the advantages of taking one of our online training courses:

• Online training courses are significantly less expensive than classroom or customized training programs.


• Course materials can be absorbed at your own pace, compared to instructor-led training.


• Courses are available 24/7, so you can stop whenever and always pick up where you left off.


• Section quizzes help reinforce course content.


• Eliminate travel expenses.


• Courses are designed and developed by leading, qualified hazmat professionals in the industry today.


• Uniformed online training can be achieved across multiple business locations.

There are several other advantages to online training with Hazmat University, which can be viewed at:

http://www.hazmatuniversity.com/about.php

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Hazmat University Online Courses

Hazmat University offers online hazmat training as packages, suites and individual modules. Packages includes all applicable course modules related to the package. Suites are specialized courses that include course modules applicable to a specific topic. And individual course modules allow students to learn or refresh upon individual topics, providing greater focus and emphasis on job-specific functions.

Here is just a sample of some courses that we offer:

Initial Air Training for IATA Package
This course includes the following initial modules: regulatory and training, classification, identification, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding, safety and security awareness. Satisfies initial hazmat training requirements for IATA DGR 1.5 and DOT 49 CFR §172.704. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

Recurrent Air Training for IATA Package
This course includes the following recurrent modules: regulatory and training, classification, identification, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding, safety and security awareness. Satisfies recurrent hazmat training requirements for IATA DGR 1.5 and DOT 49 CFR §172.704. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

Initial Air Packaging and Communications Training Suite for IATA
This course includes the following initial modules: regulatory and training, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding and security awareness. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

Recurrent Air Packaging and Communications Training Suite for IATA
This course includes the following recurrent modules: regulatory and training, packaging, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding and security awareness. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

Initial Air Communications Training Suite for IATA
This course includes the following initial modules: regulatory and training, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding and security awareness. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

Recurrent Air Communications Training Suite for IATA
This course includes the following recurrent modules: regulatory and training, marking, labeling, documentation, placarding and security awareness. Approximate course duration is 8 to 20 hours.

To view a complete list of courses, including DOT 49CFR and IMDG vessel, available through Hazmat University, please click on the link below:

http://www.hazmatuniversity.com/buy.php

Dangerous Goods Declaration Forms Online at ShipHazmat.NET - Summer of Safety Awareness Sale ends on September 4, 2009

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods recently began promoting its Summer of Safety Awareness Sale at ShipHazmat.NET, an online application for generating dangerous goods declaration forms in complete regulatory compliance with the IATA DGR and shipping dangerous goods by air transport.

Until September 4, 2009, all new and existing per-click users of ShipHazmat.NET are enjoying a 54% savings for each proper shipping name (or UN number) entry added to a completed shipper's declaration form.

Just pay $6.95 per proper shipping name and enjoy the benefits of full compliance without the hassle of spelling errors, individual interpretation of the regulations and menacing fines and penalties from rejected and improperly prepared shipments of dangerous goods.

Additionally, the Bureau of Dangerous Goods will be releasing a series of informative blog entries and reference guides promoting the safe transportation of dangerous goods and hazmat, along with helpful hints to proper dangerous goods declaration form data entry.

We are also proud to introduce our most recent project Hazmat University, a website completely dedicated to online hazmat training. Shippers, freight forwarders and carriers looking for initial and recurrent hazmat training courses in IATA, DOT 49CFR, IMDG vessel and infectious substances can enroll and begin learning at their own pace from any computer connected to the Internet anywhere around the world.

As an added bonus, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Hazmat Security Awareness Course is available for free online through Hazmat University! Simply register a new account and this course will automatically be added to your list of available courses.

Developing a Hazardous Materials Training Program Guide from U.S. DOT, PHMSA and DGAC

To read this document in its entirety, please click on the following link:
A Guide to Developing A Hazardous Materials Training Program

The transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) plays an integral role in our national and world economies, providing key products and resources that we use every day. We consume oil and natural gas to heat our homes and businesses, and produce raw materials for plastics, fibers, paints and other essential products. We use chemicals to clean our water, fuel cars, construct buildings, fertilize crops, create medicines, manufacture clothing and create many other essential commodities.

All of these products and services rely on the safe transportation of hazmat to be shipped around the country. To promote the safe transportation of hazmat, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) have established training requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to address some of the inherent risks to the public, environment and property that need to be managed.

To learn more about these training requirements, the U.S. DOT and PHSMA have released a guidance document for developing a hazmat training program to help hazmat employees learn about the established requirements governing the commercial transportation of hazmat by highway, rail, vessel and air.

To read this document in its entirety, please click on the following link:
A Guide to Developing A Hazardous Materials Training Program

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. promotes the safe transportation of hazmat with its instructor-led classroom training and customized training solutions. We have also recently introduced Hazmat University, an online hazmat training website featuring multimodal training for shipping hazardous materials by shippers, freight forwarders and carriers.