Regulators Meet At COSTHA To Talk About The Future Of Hazmat

Everyone is starting to talk about embracing the future of the “HazMat Professional.”
Partnerships with the DOT have been proposed and signed, presentations are being made to college and high school students, and talk amongst the “hazmat community” is that “It’s cool to be a “HazMat Professional.” Last month, more than 250 HazMat Professionals and Regulators met at the annual COSTHA (Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles) Conference in St. Petersburg, Florida, to lay the groundwork for expanding the role of hazmat safety and to examine options for a further out-reach.
Carl Johnson, Administrator of US DOT and PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) gave a keynote address and spoke of the impressive safety record of the more than 1-million hazmat shipments per day in the US. Bob Richard, Deputy Associate Administrator of PHMSA, presented current issues relative to the safe transport of lithium batteries and reuse of IBC’s while Geoff Leach, of the Civil Aviation Authority UK, and Jeff Hart, Head of Dangerous Goods for The Department of Transport UK, presented the UK perspective on how they are working to make flying safe. Janet McLaughlin, Special Agent DG Specialist from the US DOT FAA provided an oversight of some “not to fly” items that were discovered prior to getting on board aircraft. Shane Kelley, International Standards Transportation Specialist, PHMSA, gave an update of hazmat issues relative to US-Mexican transports and Linda Hume-Sastre, Director of Legislation Regulations for Transport Canada gave an update on harmonization of Transport Canada with international regulations. Ryan Posten, Director of HazMat Enforcement, PHMSA, presented a groundbreaking program (SISP) in which DOT will be partnering with qualified non-compliant shippers with the goal of getting these entities, and their packages, to become fully compliant. Vincent Mercadante, National Training Officer, HazMat Enforcement spoke about the certification process for new in-field DOT inspectors. The final presentation, made by Bob Richard, addressed the future of PHMSA and Dangerous Goods transportation in the next 35 years. Mr. Richard unveiled the “Next Generation HazMat Transportation Act of 2008” which is targeted at bringing in fresh ideas, procedures and regulation which will elevate the awareness and implementation of domestic and global transport safety.
The outcome of this dynamic conference was that indeed, “it’s cool to be a HazMat Professional” and that there are vast future opportunities to further improve passenger and cargo transportation safety.