Hazardous Materials

Fire and Building Code Officials are likely seeing the new Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and new Safety Data Sheets with new chemical hazard pictograms. This ICC FACT SHEET is intended to provide Fire and Building Code Officials information relative to the modified OSHA Hazardous Communications Standard (HazCom) and address the potential impacts to…...

In my HAZMAT classes, I always ask the question:  A container of diesel fuel is at its flash point, and a gasoline container is at its flash point – an ignition source is present within the container – which container ignites first? Nearly 100% of the students will say the gasoline container and nearly 100% are…...

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The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is seeking comment on proposed revisions to the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations to maintain alignment with international standards. The changes – which include revisions to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements – facilitate the…...

No, not directly, but they did issue this Safety Advisory: Possession or Use of Battery-Powered Portable Electronic Smoking Devices Around, On or While Operating a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) relating to the possession and use of battery-powered portable electronic smoking devices (e.g., e-cigarettes, e-cigs, e-cigars, e-pipes, e-hookahs, personal vaporizers, electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).  In this Safety Advisory, the…...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), in conjunction with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), is issuing this safety advisory to provide notice of emergency discharge control equipment connected to and installed on cargo tank motor vehicles, which when improperly installed, do not operate correctly and can result in total loss of power to the cargo…...

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is issuing this safety advisory to provide notice to owners and operators of certain cargo tanks that they have been improperly inspected and tested, and must be re-inspected and retested before being used in Hazardous Materials specification tank service. The tanks in question were tested by H&W Tank Testing, CT#8083, Ohatchee, Alabama, and…...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is issuing this safety advisory concerning pressure relief devices (PRD) that were not manufactured or intended for use on cargo tank motor vehicles. PRDs are an integral part of the safety mechanisms for U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) specification cargo tank motor vehicles and are vital to ensuring…...

The Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) has recently completed training modules highlighting significant changes from the 2007 version to the 2011 version of the Ohio Fire Code (OFC). You can access the modules via links on the SFM’s website “2011 Ohio Fire Code Training Modules”. There you will find links to…...

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is amending its hazard categories in the regulations (40 CFR part 370) for reporting under Sections 311 and 312 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) due to the changes in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard (HCS).  OSHA’s HCS was revised in 2012…...

On October 31, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. while anhydrous ammonia (ammonia) field application assembly was making a turn at the end of the field, the hitch connection between the application/toolbar unit and the nurse tank failed. The break-away coupling device failed to disengage, causing the threaded fitting at one end of the withdrawal hose to…...

This video is the best source of details we have at this time regarding the fatal NH3 accident at a Boston, MA Seafood Warehouse, as well as a major NH3 release during an oil draining incident at an ice rink.  The boston incident involved a liquid pipe on the bottom of the receiver.   These…...