Click on Links of Interest to skip What's New in Hazmat Transportation.
Click on the following link to learn more about how to Respond to Incidents Involving Ethanol and Gasoline Fuel Mixtures.
SAFER Act program guidance is available on the Department of Homeland Security's Web site by going to the following link www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2006SAFERguidance.pdf.
What's New in HazMat Transportation
Chart showing the organization of the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, which is part of the Department of Transportation's Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Links of Interest
The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Adminitration, Federal Railroad Administration, and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration; United States Coast Guard; and Transportation Security Administration share certain enforcement duties regarding hazardous materials transportation. The goal of this page is to provide helpful links to assist the hazmat community with understanding its regulatory obligations.
This site is not intended to be all inclusive. Please visit this page often for updates.
DOT Shipping Papers Guide
Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
Regulatory Agencies
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration - Hazardous Materials Regulation
Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Motor Carrier Saftey Administration
United States Coast Guard
Transportation Security Administration
Recently Published Rules and Other Notices
UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Model Regulations
Manual of Tests and Criteria
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
Federal Highway Administration Talking Freight Seminar Series
Bio of the Secretary of Transportation
Bios of the members of The Surface Transportation Board
Information on the National Transportation Safety Board
Bio of the Director of the Transportation Security Administration
Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA)
The Secretary of the Department of Transportation receives the authority to regulate the transportation of hazardous materials from the HMTA, as amended and codified in 49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq. The objective of the HMTA is "to improve the regulatory and enforcement authority of the Secretary of Transportation to protect the Nation adequately against risks to life and property which are inherent in the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce."
Regulatory Agencies
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration - Hazardous Materials Regulations (Title 49 CFR Parts 100-185)
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta announced the creation of two new agencies at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) were authorized on Nov. 30, 2004 when President Bush signed the Norman Y. Mineta Research and Special Programs Improvement Act. The new agencies began operating on February 20, 2005.
In summary, PHMSA is responsible for administering a national program of safety in natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline transportation including identifying pipeline safety concerns, developing uniform safety standards, and promulgating and enforcing safety regulations. PHMSA also administers a national program of safety, including security, in multi-modal hazardous materials transportation including identifying hazardous materials safety concerns, developing uniform safety standards, and promulgating and enforcing safety and security regulations. The Hazardous Materials Regulations are issued under PHMSA.
Various research and development programs within DOT were organized into the RITA. RITA was established to undertake: coordination, facilitation, and review of DOT's research and development programs and activities; advancement, and research and development, of innovative technologies, including intelligent transportation systems; comprehensive transportation statistics research, analysis, and reporting; education and training in transportation and transportation-related fields;activities of the Volpe National Transportation Center, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transportation Safety Institute; and and other powers and duties prescribed by the Secretary. In addition, DOT's Office of Intermodalism will be part of RITA.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and to the Administrator, Research and Innovative Technology Administration; Establishment and Delegation of Powers and Duties(Fed. Reg. 8299-8302)
Federal Railroad Administration
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulates rail carriers, shippers by rail, and manufacturers of tank cars. The FRA also administers Federal railroad safety laws and may issue orders dealing with the transportation of hazardous materials over unsafe track or by unsafe rail carriers.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for highway routing of hazardous materials and safety permits, regulations applicable to motor carriers (common, contract, and private) shippers by highway, and manufacturers of cargo tanks. FMCSA enforces the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (49 CFR Parts 390-397) and the hazardous materials regulations.
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) regulates vessel carriers and shippers by water, is the authority for discharges of oil into United States waters, and designated On-Scene Coordinator to respond to release of hazardous substances into the environment within the United States coastal zone.
Transportation Security Administration
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) issues and administers Transportation Security Regulations, which are codified in 49 CFR and Chapter XII.
Recently Published Rules and Other Notices
This Department of Transportation website provides a listing of recently published final rules, notice of proposed rulemakings, advanced notice of proposed rulemakings, and other notices published in the Federal Register.
UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Model Regulations.
The Model Regulations are recommendations developed by the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. They cover principles of classification and definition of classes, listing of the principal dangerous goods, general packing requirements, testing procedures, marking, labeling or placarding, transport documents, etc. These recommendations are addressed to governments and international organizations concerned with the regulation of the transport of dangerous goods. They do not apply to the bulk transport of dangerous goods in sea-going or inland navigation bulk carriers or tank-vessels, which is subject to special international or national regulations.
Manual of Tests and Criteria
The Manual of Tests and Criteria supplement the "Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods" and the Model Regulations. Also, this Manual may be used in relation to the "Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals".
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)
The GHS includes the following elements (a) harmonized criteria for classifying substances and mixtures according to their health, environmental and physical hazards; and (b) harmonized hazard communication elements, including requirements for labelling and safety data sheets.
Federal Highway Administration Talking Freight Seminar Series
This free web-based seminar series is a convenient way for transportation practitioners to broaden their freight knowledge base and develop new skills. The seminars are held on the third Wednesday of each month and are viewed over the Internet and heard over the telephone. A telephone and a 56K (or faster) Internet connection is needed to participate.