The federal government takes the lead when it comes to making sure hazardous materials are transported safely. Several agencies are involved in this process, and each one plays a key role in setting the rules, putting them into action, and making sure everyone follows them. These agencies include:
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- United States Coast Guard (USCG)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
- Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Transport Canada (TC)
Scope
Anyone that is subject to each agency’s area of responsibility must comply with that agency’s rules and regulations.
Key definitions
- Administrator: The administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
- Associate administrator: The associate administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
- Commerce: The trade or transportation in the jurisdiction of the United States within a single state; between a place in a state and a place outside of the state; that affects trade or transportation between a place in a state and place outside of the state; or on a United States-registered aircraft.
- Domestic transportation: Transportation between places within the United States other than through a foreign country.
- Multimodal: Using more than one mode of transportation.
- Person: An individual, corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint stock company; or a government, Indian Tribe, or authority of a government or Tribe, that offers a hazardous material for transportation in commerce, transports a hazardous material to support a commercial enterprise, or designs, manufactures, fabricates, inspects, marks, maintains, reconditions, repairs, or tests a package, container, or packaging component that is represented, marked, certified, or sold as qualified for use in transporting hazardous material in commerce.
- Stakeholder: A person or business that has an interest with the transportation of hazardous materials.
Summary of requirements
The agencies listed here are responsible for enforcing or supporting the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Some focus on a single mode of transportation, for example, the FAA oversees air transport, while the FMCSA handles highway shipments. Others, like PHMSA, cover multiple modes and coordinate with other agencies to ensure safe hazmat transport. It’s important to understand which agencies regulate your operations and stay in compliance with their requirements.
