Customer Advisory: New Hazardous Materials Documentation Requirement HM-206F Explained
Effective October 1, 2010 the US DOT will implement a new requirement regarding the emergency response information provided on a hazardous material document (DG Certificate) under rule HM-206F. This new rule requires that the emergency contact party be clearly displayed in conjunction with the emergency response phone number. The contact party can be an individual or company who has direct knowledge of the hazardous materials being shipped and can provide technical assistance should an incident with the shipment arise.
This rule has been implemented as a way to clearly indicate the correct emergency contact party in relation to the emergency response phone number. This is particularly important when third emergency response phone numbers party (e.g. Chemtrec) are used. Prior to this requirement it was not always clear to emergency responders who the actual contact party was. For instance if the emergency response phone number for a shipment was a third party phone number and the number was called by a responder not knowing the actual emergency contact party, the third party number would not know which of its subscribers to contact and put in contact with the responder.
The new rule will assist in situations like the example above. If the any third party number is used as the emergency response number the actual emergency contact party will need to be provided in direct relation to the third party number. For instance when a third party phone number is provided as the emergency response phone number the name of ABC Chemical Company would need to be typed out above, below or to the side of the number so that the direct relationship to the number is clear. In this example a responder calling the third party number would know the third party numbers subscriber is ABC Chemical Company so they could advise the third party number that they needed information related ABC Chemical Company. The third party number could then provide the needed detail and put the responder in direct contact with ABC Chemical Company.
For companies not using third party emergency contact phone numbers the emergency contact party will need to be clearly associated with the emergency contact phone number.
The overall purpose of this new rule is to ensure a higher level of safety by clearly indicating emergency contact party who has the technical knowledge to assist a responder should an incident occur with a Hazardous Material shipment.
Regards
OOCL (USA) Inc. DG Team
http://www.oocl.com/usa/eng/localinformation/dg/
Question or concerns regarding this new rule can be directed to the US DOT Hazardous Material Information Center at 1-800-267-2675
As reference the following is the actual rule HM-206F
(Source http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-24799.htm)
