Did You Know?

The International Air Transport Authority (IATA) has recently published the 58th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, which incorporates all amendments made by the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel in developing the content of the 2017–2018 edition of the ICAO Technical

Instructions as well as changes adopted by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board.

Lithium ion batteries and methanol are among the key changes made.

IATA has prepared a list intended to assist the user to identify the main changes introduced in this edition and must not be considered an exhaustive listing. The changes have been prefaced by the section or subsection in which the change occurs. This list is available online here:

https://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dgr/Documents/significant-changes-dgr57.pdf

Hazardous Materials: Harmonization With International Standards (RRR)

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).

SUMMARY: The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposes to amend the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) to maintain consistency with international regulations and standards by incorporating various amendments, including changes to proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air transport quantity limitations, and vessel stowage requirements. These revisions are necessary to harmonize the HMR with recent changes made to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s TechnicalInstructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods—Model Regulations.

Additionally, PHMSA proposes several amendments to the HMR that result from coordination with Canada under the U.S.-Canada Regulatory Cooperation Council.

DATES: Comments must be received by November 7, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

Federal Rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.

Fax: 1–202–493–2251.

Mail: Docket Management System; U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M–30, Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590–0001.

Hand Delivery: To U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M–30, Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590–0001 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

The full announcement can be viewed here:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/09/07/2016-20580/hazardous-materials-harmonization-with-international-standards-rrr

International Working Group Meets to address Micro Fuel Cells Power and Data Interchangeability

By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

Professor Hongki Lee, Convenor of IEC/TC 105 Working Group 10, came to Washington, DC to discuss the development of IEC 62282-6-400 with FCHEA technical staff. The effort picks up where it left off over two years ago, when document 105/453/CDV was rejected. The document was put into the Preliminary Work Item stage in 2015. As a result of a New Work Item Proposal (105/573/NP) prepared by the Convenor, the effort is moving forward again on a path to develop an International Standard.

The document has been approved to skip the CD circulation stage. Comments from the previous failed CDV are being addressed by the Convenor in consultation with Working Group 10 members.

The scope of this document is to address interchangeability of power and data between micro fuel cell power systems and electronic devices to provide system compatibility for a variety of electronic devices while maintaining safety and performance. The power management circuitry and power sharing methodology are also provided. The proposed standard also covers data communication protocol and its data specification.

As a few years have passed since the original effort began, many original experts of WG 10 are no longer engaged in the effort. Anyone with an interest in contributing to the development of this International Standard is encouraged to contact their National Committee to request being a named expert for IEC/TC 105 WG 10. Experts in micro power systems or data interface solutions are encouraged to join.

The next meeting will take place 14-16 November, 2016, in Seoul, Korea.

General Considerations on Harmonization

By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

In this fifth installment of FCHEA’s "Interview with the ISO/TC 197 Chairman" series of articles, Dr. Andrei V. Tchouvelev describes how he sees international standards, national standards, and national codes or regulations working together.

Based on feedback from the deployment of recent hydrogen fueling stations, some permitting officials have indicated that they understand the need for approvals in lieu of listings for the early stages of deployment, but that ultimately many components and systems will need to be listed for permitting approval. Therefore, confidence in standards that can be used for certification purposes is necessary, along with a business case which supports having these products listed in time for wide-scale infrastructure deployment.

Therefore this article will focus on component standards as these can readily be sold worldwide. As ISO/TC 197 is developing International Standards for key components and systems for use in gaseous hydrogen fueling stations, the subject may be timely to help stakeholders better understand how these developing International Standards may be implemented on a national or regional basis.

Dr. Tchouvelev noted that “International (ISO and IEC) component standards are being developed to eliminate global barriers to trade, so that a hydrogen component (such as a hose or breakaway device) or an assembly (such as electrolyser or reformer or dispenser) can meet the same design and testing criteria and thus can be sold across the globe without any such additional requirements. It is important to note here that installation requirements of those components or assemblies (such as, for example, separation distances) can differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but the design and testing requirements for the components themselves should not.”

Installation requirements are typically addressed in the building and fire codes or regulations of jurisdictions within countries. I asked Dr. Tchouvelev how these installation requirements should address the myriad standards where there may be one or more national standard on a subject as well as an International Standard.  “Since ISO and IEC standards are developed by the broadest spectrum of international stakeholders”, Dr. Tchouvelev explained, “they, in effect, become “super” standards and thus should replace or supersede any existing analogous national component standards.”

He went on to describe the normal mechanisms by which this may be achieved:

“National component standards, including those that served as seed documents for the development of international standards, must be prepared to harmonize their design and testing requirements with the international standards. Essentially, national standards should become harmonized adopted international standards, where the only deviations are references to specific relevant national standards and regulations and climatic conditions, where justified”, Dr. Tchouvelev clarified.

“National legislation and installation codes can then reference international standards or their national harmonized adoptions as the preferred listing or certification components standards”, Dr. Tchouvelev noted. “Once appropriate component and system standards are explicitly referenced, national installation codes can remove any design and testing requirements related to components and assemblies, and focus solely on their installation requirements.”

PHMSA and OSHA Clarify Requirements for Labeling Hazardous Chemicals for Bulk Shipments

(http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/phmsa-and-osha-clarify-requirements-for-labeling-hazardous-chemicals-for-bulk-shipments)

Monday, September 19, 2016

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today issued a joint guidance memorandum clarifying the applicability of their respective requirements for labeling hazardous chemicals. The joint memo provides an overview of each agency’s scope of authority, and guidance on the applicability of PHMSA and OSHA labeling requirements with an emphasis on bulk packaging used in transportation and in the workplace. With reference to this guidance, labeling includes all DOT placarding, signs, and other markings. PHMSA labeling requirements may be found in the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 100-180), and OSHA labeling requirements may be found in the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS 2012; 29 CFR § 1910.1200).

For more information on DOT's efforts to improve hazardous materials safety and awareness, or to access U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations, visit the PHMSA website at www.phmsa.dot.gov.

Contact for media: Artealia Gilliard (202)366-4831

Nominees Sought

By Glenn W. Scheffler, Chair, ANSI-Accredited U.S. TAG for ISO/TC 197

A U.S. expert is being sought to serve as co-convenor for ISO/TC 197 WG 24, which has recently published a Technical Specification ISO/TS 19880-1, Gaseous hydrogen — Fuelling stations — Part 1: General requirements, and is nearly ready to initiate the second ballot for ISO/CD 19880-1; a significant step towards the development of an International Standard. The development of such documents creates a common global understanding of the hydrogen filling station requirements and will greatly facilitate commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles.

The Compressed Gas Association, as the U.S. TAG Administrator, is seeking candidates to assume the responsibility of co-convenor for WG 24. A summary of the duties of a WG convenor include but are not limited to:

  • Knowing and following ISO procedures including the ISO/IEC Directives for procedures specific to ISO (Part 1) and for the structure and drafting of ISO documents (Part 2) (copies can be provided);
  • Scheduling and chairing meetings of the working group effectively and fairly;
  • Posting documents, meeting agendas and meeting reports in a timely manner;
  • Acting purely in an international capacity;
  • Ensuring that projects are managed according to agreed target dates;
  • Knowing the subject, sector and market needs; and
  • Fostering and valuing cooperation with other ISO committees and partners.

Interested parties are encouraged to become a member of the ANSI-Accredited U.S. TAG for ISO/TC 197, if they are not already. Individuals interested in this role should provide a brief CV (Word-format preferred) that would be appropriate for circulation to the U.S. TAG to Glenn Scheffler (gwssol@aol.com) with a copy to Jill Thompson (jthompson@cganet.com) by Friday, October 7th.

 Feel free to contact Glenn Scheffler or Jill Thompson if you have questions regarding this role.