International Updates for Hazmat Shippers

Updates on hazardous materials regulations and meetings from around the world. 

Jump to:

• Transport Canada Proposes Hazmat Registration System
• Corrigenda to the 2020 IMDG Code Released
• IATA Calls for More Lithium Battery Safety Action
• UN Hazardous Materials/DG Meetings Underway
• 2022 DOT and IATA Hazmat Training Workshops

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Transport Canada Proposes Hazmat Registration System

Transport Canada proposed a revision to its Transportation of Dangerous Goods or TDG regulations on June 25 that would require hazardous materials shippers, handlers, transporters, and importers to register with the agency.

Transport Canada will accept public comments on the proposed rule until September 3.

See the proposed rule in the Canada Gazette.

US DOT Hazmat Registration “Triggers”

US DOT’s registration program for hazmat shippers and carriers started in 1992. In general, if an empty truck or rail car is loaded at your property and now requires a placard, you must register as a hazmat shipper with US DOT. If your trucks are placarded, you must register as a hazmat carrier.
 
With some exceptions, you must register your business if you ship or carry any of the following: 

• A highway route-controlled quantity of radioactive (Class 7) material;
• More than 25 kg (55 pounds) of a high explosives (Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3);
• More than 1 L (1.06 quarts) per package of extremely toxic by inhalation materials (Hazard Zone A);
• Any shipment of hazmat in bulk packagings having a capacity equal to or greater than 13,248 L (3,500 gallons) for liquids/gases or 13.24 cubic meters (468 cubic feet) for solids;
• Any shipment in non-bulk packagings with a total gross weight of 2,268 kg (5,000 pounds) or more; and
• Any other shipment of hazmat that requires placards.

More details about hazmat registration, exceptions, and fees, are available on US DOT PHMSA’s website.

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Corrigenda to the 2020 IMDG Code Released

Compliance with the latest IMDG Code (Amendment 40—20) is mandatory as of June 1, 2022.
In May, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) issued a “Corrigenda” (i.e., a list of corrections) for the latest edition of the international hazmat vessel shipping regulations.  

Many of the corrections are non-substantive revisions like minor changes to wording, clarifications, and revised references/citations. Impactful changes in the Corrigenda relate to intermediate bulk containers or IBCs (Chapter 4.1.2) and segregation (Chapter 7).  

• For IBCs, two paragraphs of text are replaced with a new paragraph (4.1.2.2). The new paragraph relates to inspection and testing requirements for metal, rigid plastics and composite IBCs.
• Changes to the segregation provisions in Chapter 7 include edits to the segregation table, new text under special provisions and exemptions (7.2.6), and various other changes.

Also included are revisions to the list of packing instructions (4.1.4), additions to the Dangerous Goods List (3.2), and more. View the full Corrigenda.

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IATA Calls for More Lithium Battery Safety Action

Citing 30% annual growth of the lithium battery market bringing many new shippers into the supply chain, IATA expressed concerns about mis-declared and undeclared lithium battery shipments offered into the cycle of transportation in a recent press release.

IATA calls for “stiffer penalties for rogue shippers” and criminal enforcement related to willful violations of hazardous materials safety requirements. The press release also notes actions that have been taken in recent years, including changes to the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for lithium battery air shipments that took effect on April 1, 2022. 

Read more.

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Meeting of the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

Meetings of the United Nations Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods took place from June 27 to July 6. Twice each year, government and industry representatives from member nations—including the United States—convene to share ideas and propose regulatory improvements related to dangerous goods transportation safety.

At the end of each meeting, a list of changes to the UN Model Regulations is approved.  

The UN Model Regulations is one of a handful of texts with which US DOT periodically “harmonizes” the 49 CFR Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The next hazmat harmonization rule, HM-215P, is expected in summer 2022.

The session Agenda, working documents, and more are accessible through the UNECE website.

Upcoming Hazmat Training Workshops

Develop a step-by-step process to ship hazardous materials/dangerous goods by ground and air, in full compliance with US DOT and international regulations. These upcoming workshops are built to help satisfy 49 CFR (DOT) and IATA DGR training mandates for shippers and "hazmat employees."  
 
Hazmat Ground Shipper Certification (DOT)
Hazmat Air Shipper Certification (IATA) 

	Ground Shipper (DOT)	Air Shipper (IATA)
Nashville	July 13–14	July 15
Dallas	July 25–26	July 27
Orlando	Aug. 3–4	Aug. 5
Houston	Aug. 16–17	Aug. 18
Los Angeles	Sept. 14–15	Sept. 16
Chicago	Oct. 5–6	Oct. 7

 

Later this year: Hazmat training workshops come to St. Louis, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Hartford in Fall/Winter 2022. Find upcoming training at Lion.com/Hazmat. 

US DOT requires training once every 3 years for all hazmat employees (49 CFR 172.704).
For air shippers, the IATA DGR requires training once every 2 years (IATA DGR 1.5)

Tags: dangerous goods, hazardous materials, hazmat shipping, IMDG Code