Hazmat Glossary Of Terms

24 – Hour Manifest Rule (US Customs) – requires most ocean carriers and consolidators to file cargo manifest data with Customs electronically at least 24 hours before US-bound cargo is loaded on a vessel at a foreign port. A total of 16 individual pieces of information are required under the rule, which took effect Dec. 2, 2002.

AAR – Association of American Railroads

ACC – American Chemistry Council

ADR/RID – European Road/Rail Conventions govern transport of dangerous goods throughout Europe.

ATA – American Trucking Associations

CEFIC – European Chemical Industry Council

CEN – European Committee for Standardization

CERCLA – Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, also known as Superfund

CG/HCCS – Coordinating Group for Harmonization of Chemical Classification Systems

CITAT (USCG) – Container Inspection Training Assistance Team

COHMED – Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development

COSTHA – Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles

CPC – Blocking & Bracing Committee. The Chemical Packaging Committee of the Institute of Packaging Professionals.

CSI – The Container Security Initiative seeks to identify high-risk containers before they arrive in the US by placing US Customs inspectors at foreign ports, where they work with local authorities to screen US-bound containers. The program also promotes the use of high-tech detection and security devices.

C-TPAT – The Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism requires participants, including importers, carriers and customs brokers, to document their security procedures. Companies that are accepted into the program must also help overseas suppliers raise their standards. Participants’ shipments qualify for expedited processing and exemption from physical inspections.

CVSA – Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

De minimis exception – a regulatory exception that allows very small amounts of hazardous materials to be shipped without needing to meet requirements such as marking, labeling, shipping papers, and placarding. The criteria needed to qualify for the de minimis exception can be found in 49 CFR 173.4b.

DGAC – Dangerous Goods Advisory Council

DGP – ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel

DHS –  US Department of Homeland Security

DOL – US Department of Labor

DOT – US Department of Transportation

EC – European Commission

Ethyl alcohol exception – a regulatory exception that allows goods containing not more than 70% ethyl alcohol by volume for liquids and by weight for solids to be excepted from the HMR. The criteria needed to qualify for the ethyl alcohol exception can be found in 49 CFR 173.150(g).

Excepted Quantity – Dangerous goods shipped in very small quantities (30 g or 30 mL per inner receptacle maximum) are only subject to the following regulatory provisions: training, classification, and certain packaging requirements. A dangerous goods transport document is not required. Information on whether a dangerous good can be shipped as an excepted quantity can be found in the Dangerous Goods List.

FAA – Federal Aviation Administration

FAST – Free and Secure Trade program harmonizes some of the requirements for participation in C-TPAT and Canada’s Partners in Protection (PIP) program. Participants receive unique identifiers that make them eligible for expedited processing at the US-Canada border. Both the motor carrier and the individual driver of FAST shipments must be pre-approved.

FAST Act – Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. This act, which was signed into law in December 2015, provides long-term funding to state and local governments for projects that improve surface transportation infrastructure.

FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Administration

FMCSA – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

FRA – Federal Railroad Administration

GESAMP – Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution

GHS – Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The GHS was adopted by the United Nations in 2003. It lays out guidelines for the classification of hazards and how they should be communicated through labeling and safety data sheets.

Homeland Security Act – passed by US Congress in November creates a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that is charged with preventing terrorist attacks, reducing the country’s vulnerability and assisting in recovery from attack. US Customs, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard will now be part of DHS.For the full text of the legislation, go to http://thomas.loc.gov.

IAEA – International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA – Intermodal Association of North America

IATA – International Air Transport Association

ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization

IFCS – Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety

ILO – International Labour Office

IMO – International Maritime Organization

IMO CCC – International Maritime Organization Sub-Committee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers

IMO BLG – International Maritime Organization Sub-Committee on Bulk Liquids & Gases

IMO E&T Group – International Maritime Organization Editorial & Technical Group

ISG – Intersessional Group

IMDG Code – International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code

IOMC – Inter-Organization Program for Sound Management of Chemicals

IP – Interested Parties Group is comprised of 30 trade associations originally formed to build a consensus position on the reauthorization of the hazardous materials transportation act. The group has continued to meet to discuss other important issues such as the DOT hazardous materials registration program as they surface.

IPANA – Industrial Packaging Alliance of N.A.

ISM – International Safety Management

ISTEA – Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act

Limited quantity – Hazardous materials shipped in small enough quantities do not need to meet all of the requirements of a fully regulated hazmat shipment. The quantity at which the limited quantity exception is triggered depends on each individual hazardous material and can be found in the Dangerous Goods List.

Lithium batteries – a type of battery with lithium metal or a lithium compound used as an anode. These batteries may become dangerous hot and cause fires if they are damaged. Because of this hazard, lithium batteries are specifically regulated under the 49 CFR, IATA, IMDG, and ADR regulations.

MAP-21 – Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act

Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (US)  – requires the Coast Guard and local port security committees to conduct vulnerability assessments at US ports. It authorizes the Coast Guard to conduct assessments at foreign ports and to deny entry to vessels from countries that do not meet security standards. It also mandates background checks and ID cards for some personnel; authorizes grants for security improvements at US ports; and orders the development of standards for container seals and locks as well as a cargo tracking, identification and screening system for ocean containers. http://thomas.loc.gov

MEPC – Marine Environmental Protection Committee

MSC – Marine Safety Committee

NAFTA LTSS – NAFTA Land Transportation Standards Subcommittee

NPTC – National Private Truck Council of America

NTSB – National Transportation Safety Board

NTTC – National Tank Truck Carriers

OECD – Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development

PHMSA – US DOT – Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, responsible for promulgation and enforcement of hazardous materials regulations. (Formerly RSPA – Research and Special Programs Administration)

RCRA – Research Conservation and Recovery Act.

SICT Mexico – Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation. This is the arm of the Mexican federal government that has regulatory authority over the transport of dangerous goods

TDGR Canada – Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations for Canada. TDGR is the set of domestic regulations that govern the transportation of dangerous goods by road in Canada.

TI – Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO)

TOFC/COFC – Trailer on Flat Car/Container on Flat Car

Transport Canada (TC) – The arm of the Canadian government that has regulatory authority over the transport of dangerous goods.

TSA – Transportation Security Administration

UN – United Nations

UN ECOSOC – UN Economic and Social Council

UNCED – UN Conference on Environment & Development

UNCETDG – UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

UNEP – UN Environmental Programme

VICS – Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards

WHO – World Health Organization