HAZARDOUS MATERIALSTransporting Hazardous Materials Across the Country Isn’t Easy − That’s Why There’s a Host of Regulations in Place
Transporting hazardous materials such as dangerous gases, poisons, harmful chemicals, corrosives and radioactive material across the country is risky. But because approximately 3 billion pounds of hazardous material needs to go from place to place in the U.S. each year, it’s unavoidable.
Ever wonder what those colorful signs with symbols and numbers on the backs of trucks mean? They’re just one visible part of a web of regulations that aim to keep workers and the environment safe while shipping hazardous waste.
Transporting hazardous materials such as dangerous gases, poisons, harmful chemicals, corrosives and radioactive material across the country is risky. But because approximately 3 billion pounds of hazardous material needs to go from place to place in the U.S. each year, it’s unavoidable.
With all the material that needs to cross the country, hazardous material spills from both truck and rail transportation are relatively unavoidable. But good regulations can keep these incidents to a minimum.
As an operations and logistics expert, I’ve studied hazardous materials transportation for years. Government agencies from the municipal to federal levels have rules governing the handling and transportation of these materials, though they can be a little complicated.
A hazardous material is anything that can cause a health or safety risk to people or the environment. Regulators put hazardous materials into nine categories and rate them based on the level of danger they pose during transport and handling.
These ratings help anyone associated with the shipment take precautions and figure out the right packaging and transportation methods for each type of hazardous material.
Who Regulates Hazardous Material?
A number of agencies across the country closely scrutinize the entire hazardous materials supply chain from start to finish. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates the proper handling of hazardous materials where they’re either manufactured or used. OSHA puts limits on how much hazardous material one person can be exposed to and for how long.
If the material spills, or if there’s any left over when they’re done being used, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, handles its disposal. Both EPA and OSHA regulations come into play during spills.
In between, the U.S. Department of Transportation regulates all of the movement of hazardous materials through four of its administrations.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulates the transportation of hazardous materials by truck, rail, pipeline and ship. The Federal Railroad Administration plays a role in regulating rail shipments, just as the Federal Highway Administration oversees movement over the road. In the air, the Federal Aviation Administration regulates hazardous materials.
Key Regulations
Two essential regulations govern the handling and transportation of hazardous materials. In 1975, the EPA published the Hazardous Material Transportation Act, which protects people and property from hazardous material transportation risks.
