PHMSA - Hazmat Guidance

Hazardous Materials Guidance

This listing is provided as part of the Hazardous Material Safety Office's ongoing efforts to provide easy access to commonly used guidance. The following documents are not significant or economically significant as defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final Bulletin for Agency Good Guidance Practices.

Letters of Interpretation are issued to individuals, companies, or trade associations responding to requests for clarification of the HRM. They are straight forward explanations of the regulation text and do not impose new requirements or obligations.

	Letters of Interpretation
	PHMSA provides review and interpretation of regulations upon request. View by date, regulation, or search term.

	Information, Brochures, and Training Materials
	These are publications produced to explain specific regulatory requirements (such as how to complete a shipping paper, how to transport radioactive materials, etc.).

	Training Publications and Training Modules
	These publications cover specific requlatory requirements (such as marking, lableing, placarding, carrier responsibilities, etc.).

The Risk Management online tools are intended to help the regulatied community identify and assess risks using generally accepted risk management principles and practices. A specific feeback page also allos comments, questions, and recommendations.

	Risk Management
	Identifying and managing risks of transportation of hazmat in commerce.

PHMSA produces and distributes the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) for use by firefighters, police, and other emergency services personnel who may be the first to arrive at the scene of a transportation incident involving a hazardous material. It is primarily a guide to aid first responders in quickly identifying the specific or generic classification of materials involved in an indicent and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of an incident. The ERG is updated every three to four yreas to accommodate new products and technology. Part of the update process includes soliciting feedback from stakeholders through a Federal Register notice concerning the necessary updates.

	Emergency Response Guidebook
	For use by first responders at the scene of a transportation incident involving hazardous materials.

	Security Information and Guidance
	Extensive information about how to comply with security plan requirements, including frequently asked questions (FAQs) and a tool for applying risk management priniples to indentifying and evaluating security risks.

	DOT Guidance for the Safe Transport of Medical Oxygen
	This guidance was developed in the aftermath of a bus accident during Hurricane Rita in 2005. The guidance explains current regulatory requriments applicable to the transportation of medical oxygen on buses and trains and includes recommendations for handling oxygen cylinders.

	Responding to Incidents Involving Ethanol and Gasoline Fuel Mixtures
	This guidance is directed to emergency responders to let them know that fires involving ethanol and gasoline mixtures should be treated differently than gasoline fires, and specifcally sugests the use of alcohol-resistant foam.