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2020 Emergency Response Guidebook

2020 Emergency Response Guidebook

The 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) has been released.  This is the small orange book that should is used by emergency responder during a hazmat incident.  The 2020 ERG replaces the 2016 edition.  

For those of you who cannot wait until you have this book in your hands. There is an app or you can download a copy below.

For the App, search the App Store for ERG 2020 by the National Library of Medicine and you can download for free.  

Files to download. The ERG is available in English, Spanish and French.

2020 ERG – English

2020 ERG – French

2020 ERG – Spanish

2020 ERG Windows Software – download here

Additional ERG files as well as a video showing how to use the ERG can be found at https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/erg/erg-data-files. 

Stay Safe!

Christine Holloway-Clare is the Vice President of Safety Specialists, Inc. She has been assisting customers comply with the hazardous materials regulations for over 20 years.

Safety Specialists, Inc. offers a wide range of hazardous materials transportation training and consulting options. Online training is available. Monthly online classes for DOT, IATA and IMDG available. Join one today.

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Are You A Registered HazMat Shipper?

PHMSA HazMat Registration is due for 2020-2021. Registration is valid from July 1 – June 30.

Who needs to register?

You must register if you are a person who offers for transportation or transports in commerce a shipment containing any of the following categories of hazardous materials (including hazardous wastes):

  1. A highway route-controlled quantity of a Class 7 (radioactive) material, as defined in 49 CFR 173.403. A “highway route-controlled quantity” may be shipped by highway, rail, air, or water.
  2. More than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of a Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive) material (see 49 CFR 173.50) in a motor vehicle, rail car, or freight container.
  3. More than one liter (1.06 quarts) per package of a material extremely toxic by inhalation (that is, a “material poisonous by inhalation” that meets the criteria for “hazard zone A” as specified in 49 CFR 173.116(a) for gases or 173.133(a) for liquids).
  4. A hazardous material (including hazardous wastes) in a bulk packaging having a capacity equal to or greater than 13,248 liters (3,500 gallons) for liquids or gases or more than 13.24 cubic meters (468 cubic feet) for solids. Please note that a person who offers or transports a hazardous material in a bulk packaging with a capacity greater than 3,500 gallons or 468 cubic feet must register, even if placards are not required (for example, a Class 9 material).
  5. A shipment in other than a bulk packaging of 2,268 kilograms (5,000 pounds) gross weight or more of one class of hazardous materials (including hazardous wastes) for which placarding of a vehicle, rail car, or freight container is required for that class.
  6. A quantity of hazardous material that requires placarding. The placarding requirements are set forth in 49 CFR 172 Subpart F and summarized on
    our website. Note that the transportation of any quantity of a hazardous material, other than Division 6.2 and Class 9 materials, in a bulk packaging requires placarding and therefore registration. This includes residues that remain in an un-purged tank truck or rail tank car. Persons who return such packagings are required to register as offerors of a placarded shipment of hazardous materials.

What does registration cost for 2020-2021?

Small business and non profits – $275

Not small businesses – $2600

How to register?

PHMSA has put together this guide to answer your registration questions.

Register online here.

Regulations regarding PHMSA registration are found in 49 CFR 107.601-107.620.

If you have any questions regarding hazardous materials registration, please let me know. We will be happy to assist you with your hazmat questions. Contact me at hello@hazmathelp.com or (704) 573-0955.

Christine Holloway-Clare is the Vice President of Safety Specialists, Inc. She has been assisting customers comply with the hazardous materials regulations for over 20 years.

Safety Specialists, Inc. offers a wide range of hazardous materials transportation training and consulting options. Online training is available. Monthly online classes for DOT, IATA and IMDG available. Join one today.

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PHMSA notice on shipping papers

On April 10, 2020, PHMSA issued the following on existing options for hazmat shipping papers.

“Notice Highlighting Existing Options Related to Hazardous Materials Shipping

Papers and Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has received inquiries regarding the requirements of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the exchange of shipping

papers. Many of these inquiries have focused on the need to maintain social distancing between shippers and carriers.

Under the HMR, no physical contact between parties is required for the purposes of shipping papers. Shippers and carriers may therefore meet all requirements for hazardous materials

shipping papers and maintain necessary social distancing. Shippingpapersmaybe exchanged, for example, by physically attaching the document to a clipboard and placing it on a table and stepping away while the paper is signed, or sending the document via email or other means of electronic transmission.

Concerns have specifically been raised about the shipper’s certification statement. Section 172.204(d) states that the shipper’s certification on a shipping paper: ”…[m]ust be legibly

signed by a principal, officer, partner, or employee of the shipper or his agent; and … [m]ay be legibly signed manually, by typewriter; or by other mechanical means.” A shipper may ask a person to sign on its behalf, i.e., to entei’the shipper’s name as the signature for the shipper’s certification on the shipping paper. The request may be made verbally or in writing, and may be electronically transmitted (e.g., text message or email).

Using the methods outlined above, PHMSA believes carriers and shippers may satisfy the safety requirements of the HMR while maintaining appropriate social distancing during the COVID-19 public health emergency.”

A copy of the notice can be found here.