Hazmat Inspections Put 683 Vehicles Out of Service

Commercial vehicle inspectors conducted more than 5,000 inspections of trucks transporting hazardous materials and dangerous goods during a five-day enforcement initiative in the U.S. and Canada.The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released the results on September 10. According to CVSA, inspectors conducted 5,046 Hazmat Inspections during the unannounced initiative. It took place from June 8 through June 12.

Of those inspections, 4,122 were conducted in the United States and 924 in Canada. CVSA reported that 683 vehicles were placed out of service. That represented 13.5% of the vehicles inspected during the initiative.

Hazmat Inspections Result in 683 Vehicles Out of Service

The out-of-service rates differed between the U.S. and Canada.

In the U.S., inspectors placed 500 vehicles out of service. That represented 12.1% of the 4,122 U.S. inspections.

Canadian inspectors placed 183 vehicles out of service from 924 inspections, for a 19.8% rate.

According to CVSA, a vehicle can be declared out of service when inspectors identify conditions that fail to properly communicate a hazardous materials or dangerous goods hazard or present an imminent hazard.

The vehicle cannot continue its trip until the applicable out-of-service violations are addressed.

At the same time, inspectors placed 1,187 CVSA decals on 794 power units and 393 trailers. A CVSA decal indicates that an eligible inspection did not identify critical vehicle or specification cargo tank violations.

Cargo Securement Among Violations Found

Cargo securement was one of the areas highlighted in the results.

Inspectors reported 128 out-of-service cargo securement violations.

Loading and securement rules are particularly important when transporting hazardous materials because movement of the cargo can damage a package. That could result in a leak or spill.

Inspectors also documented 29 out-of-service violations involving leaking packages.

CVSA said hazardous materials and dangerous goods packaging requirements are intended to prevent leaks and releases that could pose risks to people, property and the environment.

Placard and Marking Violations Found During Inspections

Hazard communication was another area covered during the five-day initiative.

Inspectors found 197 placard violations. Of those, 55 were classified as out-of-service violations.

Another 64 marking violations were reported, including 20 that resulted in out-of-service violations. Inspectors also identified 32 label violations.

Placards, labels and markings are used to communicate information about the hazardous materials being transported.

The initiative focused on whether hazardous and dangerous goods were properly classified, packaged, marked, labeled and documented, according to CVSA.

Shipping Papers Account for 265 Violations

Documentation was another significant part of the results.

Inspectors identified 265 shipping paper violations. Of those, 57, or 21.5%, were classified as out-of-service violations.

Hazmat shipping papers are required to include specific information about the material and shipment. That can include the basic description, quantity and packaging information, an emergency response phone number and shipper certification.

There are also requirements covering where those documents are kept and how they can be accessed inside the cab.

In the U.S., inspectors also documented 73 violations involving emergency response information.

CVSA explained that this information provides details needed to respond to a hazardous materials release, including information related to containment and mitigation.

Hazmat Inspections Find Endorsement and Registration Issues

The enforcement initiative also identified violations involving registrations, permits and driver endorsements.

Inspectors found 47 hazardous materials registration violations and eight hazardous materials safety permit violations.

They also identified 16 hazmat endorsement violations.

A hazmat endorsement is an additional designation on a commercial driver’s license that allows the driver to legally transport covered hazardous materials.

Inspectors in Canada also reported 70 violations involving dangerous goods training certifications.

Undeclared and Misdeclared Packages Identified

Inspectors also found hazardous or dangerous goods that had not been properly declared.

Five undeclared packages were identified in the U.S.

According to CVSA, an undeclared hazardous material is subject to hazard communication requirements but is offered for transportation without a visible indication to the person accepting the package that hazardous material is present.

Canadian inspectors identified 24 misdeclared dangerous goods packages. These involve dangerous cargo with missing, false or misleading information related to labels, documentation or packaging.

Flammable Liquids Were the Largest Group Inspected

Inspectors examined thousands of individual hazardous materials and dangerous goods packages during the initiative.

Class 3 flammable liquids accounted for the largest category listed by CVSA, with 2,584 packages inspected.

Inspectors also examined 993 packages of Class 8 corrosive materials, 678 involving flammable gas and 538 involving non-flammable compressed gas.

Other materials inspected included explosives, oxidizers, toxic substances, radioactive materials and miscellaneous hazardous materials.

What the Results Show for Hazmat Drivers

The five-day initiative was unannounced and specifically targeted commercial vehicles transporting hazardous materials and dangerous goods.

For drivers hauling these loads, the results provide a picture of the areas inspectors identified during the enforcement effort. These included cargo securement, placards, markings, shipping papers, package integrity, registrations, permits and hazmat endorsements.

CVSA said the initiative is one of several commercial vehicle inspection and enforcement programs conducted each year. The hazardous materials effort is supported by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Transport Canada.