In its continuing efforts to improve transportation safety, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous MaterialsOn June 29, 2016, US DOT PHMSA published an interim final rule (HM-258D) revising, and increasing, the maximum and minimum civil penalties for knowing violations of the hazardous materials regulations (HMR). The revisions were as follows:
- Maximum Civil penalty from $75,000 to $77,114 for a person who knowingly violates the Federal hazardous material transportation law or a regulation, order, special permit, or approval issued under that law;
- Maximum Civil penalty from $175,000 to $179,933 for a person who knowingly violates the Federal hazardous material transportation law or a regulation, order, special permit, or approval issued under that law that results in death, serious illness, or severe injury to any person or substantial destruction of the property; and
- Minimum penalty from $450 to $463 for a violation related to training.
Hefty fines can ensue in the case of non-compliance, and with this in mind it is more cost-effective to make an initial – possibly expensive – outlay rather than dealing with even greater costs as a result of fines. Best to be a dangerous goods shipper that is committed to ensuring the safe and compliant transport of the contents. The effective date of these changes is August 1, 2016.