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Most recent CSA data includes changes in the system

Safety Measurement System now redefines who is subject to HM intervention thresholds

Posted August 25, 2011

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently took another step towards improving safety through its Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. In the August 3, 2011, Safety Measurement System (SMS) release, FMCSA refined the criteria that determine which motor carriers are subject to the more stringent Hazardous Materials (HM) intervention threshold.

This improvement, which was made after several months of careful monitoring and listening to industry and enforcement safety professionals, allows FMCSA to more accurately identify those motor carriers that transport placardable quantities of HM and thereby ensures that enforcement resources are deployed as effectively and efficiently as possible. Motor carriers that transport placardable quantities of HM are subject to more stringent BASIC thresholds because of the higher safety risk placardable HM pose to the public in the event of a crash or a spill.

Previously, the HM intervention threshold was applied to motor carriers based solely on their registration information indicating they transported any quantity of HM. This resulted in some motor carriers being subjected to the lower HM threshold that in fact were not carrying placardable quantities of HM, and conversely, resulted in some carriers not being subjected to the lower HM threshold that should have been. The HM intervention threshold now applies to motor carriers that transport placardable quantities of HM based on operational evidence.

These are motor carriers that meet one of the following criteria: 

  1. Inspection in the last 24 months where the motor carrier was identified as carrying placardable quantity of HM
  2. Review or safety audit in the last 24 months where the motor carrier was identified as carrying placardable quantity of HM
  3. Motor carrier has a HM permit
  4. A Motor carrier may learn of its status regarding this change by:
  5. Going to the SMS Website at http://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/sms.
  6. Entering their U.S. DOT or MC number on the right-hand side of the page.
  7. Scrolling down to the registration information at the bottom of the page.
  8. Viewing the item entitled “Subject to Placardable Hazardous Material Threshold” where they will see either a “Yes” or a “No.”

If the answer is “Yes,” motor carriers can click on the link where a table will outline why the motor carrier is assessed using the placardable HM threshold.

Hazmat Transport Pro: Managing the Hazmat Shipping and Transportation ProcessJ. J. Keller's Hazmat Transport Pro: Managing the Hazmat Shipping and Transportation Process helps you ensure your processes are safe, secure, and in compliance with current hazardous materials regulations.

 

 

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