subject: Regulatory Compliance For Consumer Commodity Orm-d [print this page] DOT Hazmat training specialists, CARGOpak Corp., has been providing consulting and UN packaging supplies for the hazardous materials industry for 16 years. Cargo Pak has also developed an economical solution to reach more people and help them through the use of on-line webinars for dot hazmat and dangerous goods training. CARGOpak now offers a regular monthly scheduled 3 hour, live, instructor- led webinar specifically designed for hazmat consumer commodity shippers. Attendees can find answers to all the relevant regulatory requirements for domestic (DOT) and international (IATA/IMDG) shipping questions they may have including all the new upcoming compliance requirements.
Striving for global harmonization, beginning January 1st of 2011, the US DOT introduced Final rule HM215K which amended certain aspects of the domestic hazardous materials regulations (49-CFR). Among the many changes introduced, these new amendments to the hazmat regulations will require domestic shippers of consumer commodities that are considered hazardous (ORM-D) to make considerable changes to their shipping process.
Before establishing what the new regulatory compliance costs will be, the shipper of consumer commodities needs to know what details of the new regulatory requirements apply to their particular business. What are the new packaging standards? What are the new marking and labeling requirements?
So what are some of the upcoming changes domestic shippers can expect?
-shipping consumer commodities by air the old marking of ORM""D""AIR and packaged in accordance with 173.63, 173.150 through 173.155, 173.306 and the applicable requirements in 173.27 can be used until December 31, 2012.
-For all other domestic shipments of consumer commodities, with ORM""D marking and that is packaged in accordance with 173.63, 173.150 through 173.155 and 173.306, shippers have until December 31, 2013.
Shipping consumer commodities by air according to the ICAO and IATA international standards also became more restrictive this year with a new limited quantity "Y" marking as well the existing pressure requirements for liquids and completion of DG Declaration documentation requirements.
CARGOpak CEO & senior instructor, Robert Smith has been training shippers for 30 years and observes that a lot of ORM-D shippers are unaware that their packaging, before applying the consumer commodity exception, must comply with the limited quantity provisions of the HMR.
"No UN performance test markings are required to be on the packaging, as is the case with fully regulated hazardous materials, but full compliance still involves having evidence that their packaging, through prototype testing, be capable of withstanding a 1.2 m drop test and a 24 hour stacking test."
Keeping track of all the relevant changes can be confusing, time consuming and costly. Even information from good quality dot hazmat training provided by knowledgeable trainers can overload the average shipper.
By designing a live instructor led webinar, specific to just consumer commodities, CARGOpak provides a solution that is not only concise and to the point but also cost effective. Attendance is limited to a maximum of 12 attendees so everyone has the opportunity to interact with the instructor and to ask questions and get answers immediately. A comprehension test and certificate is issued at the end of the session. Webinars are offered on a monthly basis and cost for the webinar is $195.00 per attendee. For more than 3 attendees the price is $175.00.
