Transporting Hazardous Materials Across the Country Isn’t Easy − That’s Why There’s a Host of Regulations in Place
This act gave the secretary of transportation more regulatory and enforcement authority than before. It gave the secretary power to designate materials as hazardous, add packaging requirements and come up with operating rules.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration oversees hazardous materials regulations that apply to everything from packaging and labeling to loading and unloading procedures. They also include training requirements for workers who have to handle hazardous materials and plans to make sure these materials stay secure.
Along with the Federal Highway Administration, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulate hazardous material movement by road.
Trucking companies transporting hazardous materials need to use specific vehicles and qualified drivers to comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations. Drivers transporting hazardous materials must have specialized training and a hazardous materials endorsement on their commercial driver’s license.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s and the Federal Railroad Administration’s regulations for rail shipments require that rail cars fit physical and structural specifications. These specifications include having thick tanks and pressure release devices. Rail cars also have to undergo inspections and maintenance, per these rules.
The crew in charge of a hazardous materials train needs specialized training. And rail carriers need to have emergency response plans in case of a hazardous material spill.
Both truck and rail companies must follow regulations that require the proper classification, packaging and labeling of hazardous materials. The symbols on these labels let handlers and emergency responders know the potential risks the materials pose.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s security regulations prevent theft or sabotage of hazardous materials. They make sure that only authorized people can access the shipments. These regulations may require background checks for workers, secure storage facilities, and systems that track and monitor hazardous material.
Number of incidents per year by air, highway, rail and water.
A bar graph showing the number of hazardous materials incidents per year from 2014 to 2023, with a slow increase that peaks in 2022.
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Hazardous materials incidents have increased since 2014
Number of incidents per year by air, highway, rail and water
2014 — 17,407
2015 — 16,863
2016 — 18,284
2017 — 17,491
2018 — 19,874
2019 — 22,776
2020 — 21,892
2021 — 25,157
2022 — 25,160
2023 — 24,251
Source: PHMSA
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Hazardous material shipments and incidents both have increased in the past 10 years. Anyone involved in the supply chain needs to understand hazardous material regulations.
Sticking to these rules helps get these materials from place to place safely. It also keeps safe those who handle them and minimizes the risk of accidents, injuries and environmental harm.
Michael F. Gorman isProfessor of Business Analytics and Operations Management, University of Dayton. This article is published courtesy of The Conversation.
