TOOLKIT FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION
This work is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA). It was conducted through the Hazardous Materials
Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP), which is administered
by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.
Prepared by
3 Sigma Consultants, LLC
909 Edenbridge Way, Nashville, TN 37215
Module 1: Introduction to Hazmat
Transportation
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Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Recognize the importance of hazardous materials in meeting
societal needs
Describe the role of hazardous materials transportation as part
of the freight network and logistics supply chain
Summarize the regulatory environment under which hazardous
materials transportation operates
Discuss the need and methods/practices utilized to ship
hazardous materials in an efficient, reliable, safe, secure and
environmentally-sensitive manner
Recall what is involved in responding to and managing an
incident
Be aware of hazmat transportation workforce development
issues
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Topics
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Hazardous materials and societal needs
Hazmat transportation logistics
Hazmat legal and regulatory environment
Risk management
Hazmat transportation incident management
Security of hazmat transportation shipments
Hazmat transportation workforce development issues
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What Is a Hazardous Material?
A substance or material, that when transported in
commerce, is capable of posing an unreasonable risk
to:
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Health
Safety
Property
Environment
Source: PHMSA, USDOT, July 2012.
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PHMSA Hazmat Classification System
Class 1: Explosives
• 1.1 Explosives with a mass explosion
hazard
• 1.2 Explosives with a projection hazard
• 1.3 Explosives with predominately a fire
hazard
• 1.4 Explosives with no significant blast
hazard
• 1.5 Very insensitive explosives; blasting
agents
• 1.6 Extremely insensitive detonating
substances
Class 2: Gas
• 2.1 Flammable gas
• 2.2 Non-flammable compressed gas
• 2.3 Poisonous gas
Class 3: Flammable & Combustible Liquid
Class 4: Flammable Solid
• 4.1 Flammable solid
• 4.2 Spontaneously combustible material
• 4.3 Dangerous when wet material
Class 5: Oxidizing Agent & Organic Peroxide
• 5.1 Oxidizer
• 5.2 Organic peroxide
Class 6: Toxic & Infectious Substance
• 6.1 Poisonous material
• 6.2 Infectious substance (Etiologic agent)
Class 7: Radioactive Material
Class 8: Corrosive Material
Class 9: Miscellaneous Hazardous Material
Note: Gasoline and fuel oil are considered Class 3 materials; liquefied natural gas and compressed
natural gas are considered Class 2 materials.
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Hazardous Materials and Societal Needs
• More than 70,000 chemicals are used regularly around the
world.
• They are used to produce almost everything we use.
• Some of these hazardous materials are finished products
while others are used as ingredients in producing these
products.
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Sample Products Made From Hazardous Materials
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Building insulation
Automobile parts
Compact fluorescent bulbs
Coolant systems
Plastic packaging
Solar panels
Batteries
Diesel additives
Detergents
Paper
Source: American Chemistry Council
• Air filters
• Oil spill absorbents, booms
and skimmers
• Drugs and vaccines
• Medical devices
• Fertilizers
• Safe drinking water
• Clothing
• Computer parts
• Soft drinks
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Hazmat Transportation Logistics
• The transportation of hazardous materials is a major shipping
activity involving many freight modes and service providers.
• The majority of shipments are made by truck, with pipeline, rail
and waterway trips representing longer-haul and larger bulk
movements.
• Hazardous cargo takes on many forms, with unique material
properties that require different types of packaging.
• A variety of operational issues, particularly involving shippers
and carriers, must be considered from a logistics perspective.
Raw
Materials
Manufacturing
Recycling
or
Disposal
Packaging
Use
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Generalized Supply Chain Flow Chart
Manufacturer
Output/Raw
Materials
Storage
Loading
Transportation
• Truck (Highway)
• Rail
• Water/Ocean
• Air
• Pipeline
Unloading
Storage
Customer
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Hazmat Transportation Modes
Truck
Rail
Air
Water
Pipeline
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Various Types of Hazmat Packaging
Drums
Boxes
Cylinders
Special Containers
Tanks
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Economic Considerations – Dry Cargo Capacity
Efficiencies Among Surface Transportation
Source: C. James Kruse, et. al., A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009, Prepared by the Center for Ports and Waterways, Texas Transportation
Institute, Houston, Texas, 2012, p. 2. Prepared for the National Waterways Foundation. 1750 Short
Tons is the standard dry bulk cargo capacity for a single barge.
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Economic Considerations – Liquid Cargo Capacity
Efficiencies Among Surface Transportation
Source: C. James Kruse, et. al., A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight
Transportation Effects on the General Public: 2001-2009, Prepared by the Center
for Ports and Waterways, Texas Transportation Institute, Houston, Texas, 2012, p.
2. Prepared for the National Waterways Foundation. 27,500 BBL is the standard
liquid bulk cargo capacity for a single barge.
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Economic Considerations – Fuel Efficiency
Comparisons Among Surface Transportation
Ton-Miles per Gallon of Fuel: 2009
Source: C. James Kruse, et. al., A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009, Prepared by the Center for Ports and Waterways, Texas Transportation
Institute, Houston, Texas, 2012, p. 5. Prepared for the National Waterways Foundation.
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Environmental Considerations – Greenhouse Gas
Emission Comparison Among Surface Transportation
Metric Tons of GHG per Million Ton-Miles (2005 & 2009)
Source: C. James Kruse, et. al., A Modal Comparison of Domestic Freight Transportation Effects on the
General Public: 2001-2009, Prepared by the Center for Ports and Waterways, Texas Transportation
Institute, Houston, Texas, 2012, p. 5. Prepared for the National Waterways Foundation. GHG is
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
U.S. Freight Transportation Infrastructure
• Roads
– Over 4 million miles of public roads
– 164,000 miles of roads comprising the National Highway System,
including over 47,000 miles of Interstates
• Rail
– Over 250,000 miles of track, including yards, sidings and parallel lines
– Nearly 95,000 miles of Class I railroad track
• Waterway
– Over 13,000 miles of inland waterways, including rivers and Great
Lakes
– Nearly 300 major commercial ports
• Pipeline
– Roughly 1.7 million miles of oil and gas pipelines
• Air
– Over 13,000 airports
Sources: FHWA Freight Facts and Figures 2011, North American Transportation Statistics Database
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U.S. Hazardous Material Shipment Characteristics
2007
• Over 2.2 billion tons of hazardous materials are transported
every year, valued at over $1.4 trillion.
• This corresponds to 323 trillion ton-miles of hazmat cargo
moved annually
• The average trip distance of these shipments is 96 miles.
• Hazmat transportation represents roughly 18% of total tons
transported by freight industry and accounts for nearly 10% of
the ton-miles.
Source: 2007 Commodity Flow Survey
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Considerations in Transporting Hazardous Materials
• Efficiency
– Move hazardous cargo so as to minimize travel time and cost
• Reliability
– Deliver hazmat shipments on schedule
• Safety
– Avoid incidents (including accidents), particularly those that could
cause a hazmat release
– Respond effectively when incidents do occur
• Security
– Prevent hazmat from being purposely used as a weapon or detonating
device
• Environmental Protection
– Limit air, land, water and noise pollution
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Factors Affecting Hazmat Mode Choice
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Travel time and service reliability
Total logistics costs
Safety and security
Shipment size and weight
Hazardous materials properties and composition
Container characteristics
Availability of infrastructure access/egress
Equipment availability
Local restrictions (e.g., bridges, tunnels, highway weights)
Intermodal considerations
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Route Selection Factors
• Efficiency
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Trip length
Travel time
Availability of diversion route
Access to enroute storage and repair facilities
• Safety & Security
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Condition of infrastructure
Height, width, weight and traffic conflict considerations
Accident likelihood
Population exposure
Number of transfers
Proximity to critical infrastructure and iconic targets
Emergency response capability
Safe stopping places
• Environmental
– Wildlife and vegetation exposure
– Soil composition
– Proximity to surface and ground water
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Hazmat Legal and Regulatory Environment
• The hazmat regulations (HMR)are both comprehensive and
complex, and cover all aspects preparing and executing
hazmat shipments.
• Shippers, carriers, and all other parties involved in making
hazmat shipments must comply with the HMR and other
regulations.
• Regulations are regularly updated and changed; therefore,
one must access them frequently to stay in compliance.
• The packaging and handling regulations guard against
accidental release of hazmat during storage and transport.
• The extensive regulations on shipping papers, marking,
labeling, and placarding are designed to facilitate hazard
communication.
• Enforcement of the hazmat regulations is a joint effort of
multiple agencies.
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Hazmat Transportation Regulations
• Primarily contained in the Code of Federal
Regulations, 49 CFR Parts 171-180.
• Specify requirements for the safe transportation
of hazardous materials in commerce by rail car,
aircraft, vessel, motor vehicle and pipeline.
• Apply to any person involved in functions related to
the transportation of hazardous materials.
• Prescribe requirements for classification, packaging,
hazard communication, incident reporting, handling
and transportation of hazardous materials.
• State, local and tribal regulations may also be
enacted providing that they do not conflict with
Federal regulations.
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The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR)
49 CFR 171 through 180
• 171 General information, regulations,
and definitions
• 172 Hazardous materials table, special
provisions, hazmat communications,
emergency response, training
• 173 Shippers and packaging
• 174 Carriage by rail
• 175 Carriage by aircraft
• 176 Carriage by vessel
• 177 Carriage by public highway
• 178 Specs for packaging
• 179 Specs for tank cars
• 180 Continuing qualification and
maintenance of packagings
Source: PHMSA, USDOT, July 2012.
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Other Regulatory Requirements, Standards, and
Guidelines
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DOD
Military shipments
DOE/NRC
Nuclear materials
STB
Commercial transportation
OSHA
Worker health and safety
NLRB
Organized labor
NFPA
First responder safety and health
USDA
Invasive species
State-level hazmat compliance programs
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Risk Management
• Hazmat transportation events occur that put people,
property, and the environment at risk
• Many incidents are minor
• Risk management can be used to minimize the impacts of
these incidents
• Even at best, risk management cannot prevent every
incident
• Risk management includes identification, analysis,
evaluation, and monitoring
• Risk analysis can be either qualitative or quantitative
• Multiple tools and programs exist that can assist with risk
management efforts
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Potential Impacts of a Hazmat Release
• Human health
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Acute fatality/injury
Reproductive failure and birth defect
Cancer
Impaired immune system
Respiratory illness
Cardiovascular disease
Effects of contaminated drinking water
• Environment
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Crop and vegetation destruction
Damage to fish/birds/mammals and their habitats
Endangered species and loss of plant/animal diversity
Soil degradation
Disruption of food chain
Water contamination
*Impact severity will depend on the duration and rate of exposure (dose) and the
manner in which the recipient reacts when subjected to that dose (response).
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Incident vs. Accident
• Accident – used to describe things that happen
unintentionally
• Incident - has a wider meaning and can be used both
for accidents and for intentional actions such as
crimes.
Note: Accidents are considered a subset of incidents.
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Hazmat Incident Occurrences
• Many incidents occur each year in all modes of transportation
with varying degrees of severity
• Many are minor and do not make headlines
Source: PHMSA
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Hazardous Materials Transportation
Incidents, Injuries and Fatalities: 2011
Highway
Accident related
Injuries
Fatalities
Rail
Accident related
Injuries
Fatalities
Air
Accident related
Injuries
Fatalities
Water
Accident related
Injuries
Fatalities
Pipeline
Injuries
Fatalities
12,801
332
129
11
743
40
20
1
1,400
2
7
0
71
0
8
0
596
60
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• Less than 10% of large truck
shipments include hazmat as all or
part of the cargo load.
• In contrast, less than 5% of large
truck accidents involve trucks carrying
hazmat.
Notes: Accident -related excludes human errors and package failures. Water data are for incidents
involving packaged materials only and do not include incidents where the vessel is the container
(e.g., a barge or oil tanker). Non-pipeline reporting requirements changed in 2002.
Source:, Accident/Incident Summary Statistics, available at
http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/library/data-stats.
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2011 Hazmat Incidents by Material Type
Material
Percent of Total
Flammable-combustible liquid
48.9
Corrosive material
24.8
Combustible liquid
6.7
Non-flammable compressed gas
3.6
Oxidizer
3.5
Flammable gas
2.2
Poisonous material
2.2
Other
8.1
Source: PHMSA
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Hazmat Incidents by Transport Phase
Source: PHMSA
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What are Risks and How do we Manage Them?
• Risk - The potential for an unwanted outcome
resulting from an incident as determined by its
likelihood and the associated consequences.
• Risk Management - A process for identifying,
assessing and reducing risks to public safety and
security, environmental quality and economic
well-being or a method for prioritizing risk
management needs and evaluating risk control
strategies.
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Fundamental Questions of Risk Management
• What can go wrong?
• How likely is it?
• What are the consequences?
http://www.math.ucsb.edu/~atzberg/fall20
05/index_files/financialRisk.jpg
• How can we use available resources to
most effectively control undesirable
risks?
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Types of Risks Associated with Hazmat Transport
• Operational
– Failed procedures
– Improper packaging
• Information Systems
– Improper tracking, marking or documentation
• Environmental
– Population/carrier/environmental exposure
• Human Resource
– Unqualified drivers/handlers
• Security
– Theft or malicious acts
• Reputational
– Bad corporate reputation
– Loss of customers
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Hazmat Transport Risk Factors
• Vehicle
– Configuration, weight
• Operator
– Age, experience, condition, training, valid license
• Packaging
– Type, age, protection
• Infrastructure and equipment
– Type, condition, use
• Situational
– Speed, weather, lighting, time-of-day, maneuvering,
impact location
Source: Battelle, Hazardous Materials Transportation Incident Data
for Root Cause Analysis, HMCRP Report 1
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Increasing involvement & investment
The Corporate Risk Pyramid – Varying Levels of RM
CompanySpecific RM
Activities
Company Policies
Industry Practices
Regulations
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PHMSA’s Stepwise Approach to Risk Management
for Hazardous Materials Transport
Source: http://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/risk_framework.pdf
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Consequences
Risk Heat Map – A Way to Rank and Prioritize Risks
Very
High
High
High
Very
High
Very
High
High
Medium
Medium
High
Very
High
Medium
Low
Medium
Medium
High
Low
Low
Low
Medium
High
Low
Medium
High
Very
High
Likelihood
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Risk Reduction Strategies
• Reduce likelihood of an incident occurring
– Avoid routes with poor terrain or known hazards
– Train employees on proper handling and packaging
– Regularly inspect packages and vehicles/vessels
• Reduce potential consequences if an incident occurs
– Avoid routes that pass through highly populated or environmentally
sensitive areas
– Train employees to contain spills quickly
– Have well documented emergency procedures
– Proved PPE to employees to minimize exposure during leakage
– Keep spill cleanup equipment on vehicles/vessels at all times
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Risk Communication Roles and Responsibilities
• Risk communication is necessary at various times in a hazmat
shipment’s lifetime
– Prior to an event
– During an event (response)
– Following an event (recovery)
• Multiple stakeholders (audiences) are involved at each stage
and require certain information
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Internal stakeholders
Business partners (e.g., shippers, carriers, customers)
Regulators
Emergency responders
Potentially impacted communities
Media
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Hazmat Transportation Incident Management
• The adverse consequences of incidents depend on decisions and
actions during incident management.
• Hazmat transportation incident response requires a structured but
flexible approach.
• While incident response is primarily a local responsibility, national
procedures apply and resources are available. Mutual aid can be
important.
• Successful incident management requires coordination among many
stakeholders, including first responders, fire services, hazmat response
teams, emergency managers, carriers and shippers.
• An all-hazards approach that includes mitigation, preparedness,
response, recovery and prevention helps ensure success.
• Hazmat transportation incidents often require specialized equipment,
highly trained personnel, effective leadership and difficult decisions.
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Goal: Minimize Adverse Consequences
Accident; human error;
equipment, packaging, or
infrastructure failure;
purposeful act; weather;
combinations of factors
Leak, spill, fire,
explosion, exposure,
dispersion
Initial injuries or
fatalities; property or
environmental damage;
other damages/costs
minutes
Final Consequences
Incident
Management
minutes, hours, days, weeks
Injuries and fatalities;
property or environmental damage; other
damages/costs
+
Intangibles
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Potential Consequences
Category
Description
Injuries and
fatalities
Transportation workers, incident responders, general public; direct
and indirect (e.g., stress, secondary crashes)
Property damage
Damage to vehicles (carriers and others), transportation
infrastructure, utilities, neighborhoods, businesses, public facilities
Environmental
damage
Air, ground and/or water contamination with immediate or extended
impacts on human health, flora, and/or fauna
Product loss
Loss of the material/product being transported
Emergency
response
Costs to emergency responders and, for major events, other state
and federal agencies, NGOs, and private sector responders
Evacuation/
disruption
Costs to people displaced from homes, schools, businesses;
interference with normal community activities; loss of business and
earnings; potential for regional economic impacts
Transportation
system impacts
Costs for lost time, missed schedules, wasted resources, increased
operating costs for transportation system users
Cleanup
Costs of decontamination; removal of absorbed material, damaged
equipment, and other debris; disposal
Intangibles
Loss of credibility with investors, customers, partners, regulators,
employees, media, and others
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Every Incident is Different
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Properties and hazards of material involved (if known)
Types of equipment and extent of damage
Weather (temperature, precipitation, visibility, wind)
Topography, natural environment, built environment
Proximity of sensitive land uses
Responder capabilities and access to the scene
Proximity of emergency medical care
Useful source: Emergency Response Guidebook (PHMSA)
More likely, less severe
Less likely, more severe
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Incident Stakeholders
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Carrier
Shipper
Fire and rescue
Law enforcement
Towing and recovery
Emergency medical
Hazmat response team
Hazmat cleanup contractor
Emergency managers
Environmental agencies
Public works
Utility companies
Bold = private sector
Red = public sector
Italics/blue = public and/or private
• Truck driver, train/marine/aviation
crew, other operating personnel
• Operators/occupants of other
involved vehicles/equipment
• Transportation infrastructure
owner/operator
• Other transportation system users
• Impacted neighborhoods, schools,
businesses, and other land uses
• Insurers
• News media
• Other (e.g., 911; National Response
Center; elected officials; LEPCs and
SERCs; USDOT, USCG, EPA, NRC, DOD,
and other federal and state agencies;
industry organizations)
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All-Hazards Approach
Mitigation
Activities taken to avoid or reduce the severity or
consequences of an emergency
Preparedness
Activities, tasks, programs and systems developed
and implemented prior to an emergency . . . to
support prevention, mitigation, response and recovery
Response
Immediate and ongoing activities, tasks, programs and
systems to manage the effects of an incident that threatens
life, property, operations or the environment
Recovery
Activities and programs . . . to return conditions to a level
that is acceptable to the entity
Definitions from NFPA 1600®, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business
Continuity Programs
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NRF, NIMS and ICS
NRF provides structure and
mechanisms for national-level
policy for incident management
National
Response
Framework (NRF)
Other
Components
Incident
Command
System (ICS)
NIMS provides the template
for the management of
incidents
National Incident
Management
System (NIMS)
Incident
Command
System (ICS)
Other
Components
ICS is to organize on-scene operations for a
broad spectrum of emergencies from small to
complex incidents
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Response and Recovery Transitions
Relative Responsibilities
100%
Infrastructure owners/operators, public works,
utility companies, environmental organizations,
…………………. land use planners and boards,
schools, other institutions, home
Fire services, EMS,
HMRTs, law enforcement, owners, businesses, chambers,
emergency managers, and ….. economic developers, land
supporting agencies (perhaps……owners, attorneys, banks, . . .
National Guard, Coast Guard,
other state and federal
agencies, mutual aid)
Elected officials
0%
hours, days
Response
days, weeks
Short-Term Recovery
weeks, months, years
Long-Term Recovery
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Security of Hazmat Transportation Shipments
• Hazmat shipments and facilities are a security concern
because of their potential to be used as means of attacking
other targets.
• Measures that improve cargo security in general are
equally applicable to hazmat shipment security.
• The most effective security enhancement procedures are
multi-layered systems that address each aspect of
vulnerability.
• En route security is challenging due to the many uncontrolled
factors involved.
• Industry and government are cooperating to enhance hazmat
security.
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Focus Areas for Securing Assets in Transport
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Maintain chain of custody
Confirm security practices of partners in chain
Verify credentials of personnel in chain
Verify controlled physical access to assets
Emergency preparedness/resilience/redundancy
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Chronology of Security Needs
Source: FMCSA
52
Types of Security Technologies
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Communication
Panic buttons
Driver identification and authentication
Electronic supply chain manifest
Remote vehicle disabling
Remote cargo door locks
Electronic cargo seals
Geofencing
Cargo tracking
Public sector reporting
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Hazmat Transportation Workforce
Development Issues
• The volume of hazardous materials carried by the U.S.
transportation network will continue to increase, as will
the employment demand.
• Educational programs should be available for post
secondary students through graduate school to develop
awareness, knowledge and skills related to hazmat
transportation.
• As most hazardous materials transportation positions are
filled from within an organization, education and training
opportunities must be provided to maintain knowledge
levels and support staff promotion and retention.
• Given these diverse needs, a hazmat transportation
curriculum tool kit that is comprehensive yet adaptable
should be maintained and broadly disseminated.
54
Transportation Work Force Challenges
• Competitive labor market within
transportation industry and among
other industry sectors
• Demographic changes in the work
force
• Introduction of new technologies
Source: NCHRP Report 685, Strategies to Attract and Retain a Capable
Transportation Workforce, 2011
55
Multiple Responsibilities of
Hazmat Transportation Workforce
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•
Training
Logistics
Package design
Regulatory enforcement
Safety
Risk analysis
Incident response
Represent organization in professional forums
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56
Alternative Career Paths in Hazardous
Materials Transportation
 Engineering






Environmental
Chemical
Civil and environmental
Mechanical
Systems
Industrial
 Environmental and health science
 Chemistry
 Business
 Supply chain and logistics
 Management/business administration
 Information science
 Other (e.g., agriculture, construction, military)
57
Retention and Promotion
• This is key as most positions are filled from within
organizations.
• Offer education and training opportunities, specifically in
areas such as transportation basics, environmental science,
and chemistry.
• Provide opportunities for professional growth and
advancement.
–
–
–
–
Advanced degrees
Professional certification
Executive management training
Membership and involvement in professional organizations
58
Key Takeaways
• Hazardous materials are an essential part of producing goods that
meet society’s needs.
• Thousands of different types of hazardous cargo are shipped as part
of the hazardous materials life cycle, moved across an extensive
network by truck, rail, waterway, air and pipeline.
• While it is important that these shipments are made efficiently and
reliably - safety, security and environmental protection are significant
considerations. This applies to both incident prevention and
mitigating the consequences of an incident should one occur.
• Federal, state, local, tribal and international standards and
regulations have been established to promote trips that are incident
free or successfully mitigated should an event occur.
• Developing and retaining a qualified workforce for hazardous
materials transportation is a continuous challenge.
59
Student Exercise
Prepare a two-page memo describing:
1) How chlorine is used in our society to meet our needs
2) The manner in which it is packaged and transported
3) The potential health effects of chlorine exposure
4) The consequences of a particular incident that occurred in
the past involving the release of chlorine while the shipment
was in transport
60
Resources for Support and Additional Learning
Other Course Modules
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Hazmat transportation logistics
Hazmat legal and regulatory environment
Mode and route selection
Risk management
Hazmat transportation incident management
Security of hazmat transportation shipments
Hazmat transportation workforce development issues
61