The Office of the Director is staffed by the Director, Enforcement Officer, National Training Officer, National Response Investigator, Enforcement Officer Assistant and Administrative support staff. The Director, in a supervisory role, oversees all enforcement activities and operations for the Enforcement Office nationwide. The Enforcement Officer serves as the primary liaison between enforcement operations and PHMSA’s Office of Chief Counsel for enforcement actions and legal determinations and matters. The Enforcement Officer also serves as a senior technical advisor for the Office. The Enforcement Officer Assistant serves to assist the Enforcement Officer’s role. The National Training Officer leads and executes the national OHME Investigator Training and Certification Program for the Office nationwide and to members of Federal, State, Local and Tribal hazardous material enforcement organizations as requested or directed. The National Response Investigator is a senior investigator that serves to assist or lead significant investigations for the Office. The role serves to provide a high degree of technical and tactical expertise in hazardous materials enforcement and investigatory activities.

Special Investigations (SI) serves as the Department’s technical experts in the areas of compressed gas cylinders, explosives, radioactive materials, and the design and certification of United Nations (UN) packaging. SI conducts inspections and investigations, provides technical expertise and training to internal and other government agencies involved in hazardous materials activities, and provides regulatory review and analysis of proposed and existing hazardous materials transportation regulations.

The PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Enforcement (OHME) regional offices conduct a wide variety of inspections and investigations to ensure compliance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The five regional offices and their investigators are located throughout the United States to maximize the presence of OHME within the regulated public.