On March 30, 2017 (82 FR 15796), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule in the federal register amending the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) in 49 CFR Parts 107 - 180 to maintain consistency with international regulations and standards by incorporating various amendments, including changes to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements. These revisions are necessary to harmonize the HMR with recent changes made to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods-Model Regulations. Additionally, PHMSA is adopting several amendments to the HMR that result from coordination with Canada under the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council. This rule is effective March 30, 2017, except for the revisions to paragraph (f) in 49 CFR 173.21 “Forbidden materials and packages” which is effective January 2, 2019. Notable amendments to the HMR in this final rule include the following: • Incorporation by Reference: incorporates by reference the newest versions of various international hazardous materials standards. • Hazardous Materials Table (HMT): amends the 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) to add, revise, or remove certain proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, bulk packaging requirements, and passenger and cargo aircraft maximum quantity limits. * “UN 3507, Uranium hexafluoride, radioactive material, excepted package, less than 0.1 kg per package, non-fissile or fissile-excepted” revising the primary hazard class from Class 8 to Division 6.1 and subsequently adding the Class 8 hazard as a subsidiary hazard label code in column (6). * “UN 2977, Radioactive material, uranium hexafluoride, fissile” and “UN 2978, Radioactive material, uranium hexafluoride non fissile or fissile excepted” revising the vessel stowage location “A” with “B” to column (10A) and adding code “40,” which indicates that the material must be stowed clear of living quarters, to column (10B) to coincide with adding Division 6.1 as a subsidiary hazard. * Special Provision 238: revising by permitting the packaging to contain “absorbent” or “adsorbent” material where the previous requirement permitted “absorbent” material only for the shipment of neutron radiation detectors. * Special Provision 369: revising the classification criteria, consignment instructions and transport conditions for “UN 3507, Uranium hexafluoride, radioactive material, excepted package, less than 0.1 kg per package, non-fissile or fissile excepted” by clarifying that this radioactive material in an excepted package is classified as Division 6.1 with radioactive and corrosive subsidiary risks. • Subsidiary Placarding for Uranium Hexafluoride: adds Division 6.1 poison or toxic placards. • Transport conditions for certain specially designed radiation detectors containing a Division 2.2 (Nonflammable) gas: revisions 49 CFR 173.310: [1] In the section header, clarify that Division 2.2 gases must be in non-refillable cylinders; [2] in paragraph (b), increase the maximum design pressureand increase the capacity; [3] in new paragraph (d), require specific emergency response information to accompany each shipment and be available from the associated emergency response telephone number; [4] in new paragraph (e), require that transport in accordance with this section be noted on the shipping paper; and [5] in new paragraph (f), except radiation detectors, including detectors in radiation detection systems, containing less than 50 ml (1.7 fluid ounces) capacity, from the requirements of the subchapter if they conform to paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section. • Labeling Provisions: removes the existing inner border size requirements for reduced dimension labels and authorizing the entire label to be reduced proportionally and extends the transition date provided in 49 CFR 172.407(c)(1)(iii) until December 31, 2018 for domestic transportation in order to provide additional time for implementation and depletion of existing stocks of labels. • Provisions for Polymerizing Substances: includes in the HMT four new Division 4.1 entries for polymerizing substances and adds into the HMR defining criteria, authorized packagings, and safety requirements. • Modification of the Marine Pollutant List: modifies the list of marine pollutants in Appendix B to 49 CFR 172.101 by adding five (5) new entries. • Packaging Requirements for Water- Reactive Materials Transported by Vessel: amends packaging requirements for vessel transportation of water-reactive substances. • Hazard Communication Requirements for Lithium Batteries: revises hazard communication requirements for shipments of lithium batteries, specifically adopts a new lithium battery label in place of the existing Class 9 label; amends the existing marking requirements for small lithium battery shipments in § 173.185(c) to incorporate a new standard lithium battery mark for use across all modes; removes the documentation requirement in § 173.185(c) for shipments of small lithium cells and batteries; and requires the lithium battery mark be applied to each package containing small lithium cells or batteries contained in equipment when there are more than four lithium cells or two lithium batteries installed in the equipment or where there are more than two packages in the consignment. • Engine, Internal Combustion/Machinery, Internal Combustion: harmonizes the HMT proper shipping names utilized for the transportation of engines and machinery containing engines. • U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) Amendments: makes amendments to the HMR resulting from coordination with Canada under the U.S.-Canada RCC. Specifically, we are adopting provisions for recognition of Transport Canada (TC) cylinders, equivalency certificates (permit for equivalent level of safety), and inspection and repair of cargo tanks. In a parallel effort, Transport Canada is adopting similar regulatory changes that will provide reciprocal recognition of DOT cylinders and DOT special permits. Click on the link below to download the full version:

PHMSA 03-30-2017 FR HM-215N HMR updates