THE TEN MOST CRITICAL ISSUES IN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION

This paper addresses issues under the headings of: Regulations; A Coordinated Systems Approach; Data and Data Applications; Legal Responsibilities; and Public Awareness. The issues in the first category are: harmonious international, federal, state and local hazardous materials regulatory controls; and the complexity of D.O.T.'s Hazardous Materials Regulations and the need to convert some of them from detailed specifications to performance base criteria. In terms of a coordinated systems approach, four issues are addressed--a national strategy for control of hazardous material risks; training for all persons involved in the transportation of hazardous materials, including shippers carriers, and emergency response personnel; a single national response system for incidents and accidents involving the transportation of hazardous materials; and an integrated hazardous materials transportation administrative communication system among Federal and State governments. Two issues are discussed under the heading of data and data applications- a comprehensive data system for the flow of hazardous materials by quantity, general hazard class, route and mode; and the state-of-the-art for hazardous materials transportation cost-benefit-risk analysis methodology. Clarification of the legal responsibilities of governmental and private agencies involved in hazardous materials transportation is discussed under the heading of legal responsibilities. The final issue is the understanding of the public about the relative safety of hazardous materials transportation.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/219/219.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Publication Date: 1980-7

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; References;
• Pagination: 11 p.
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 219
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Disasters and emergency operations; Federal assistance programs; Federal government; Freight transportation; Hazardous materials; Hazards; Information systems; Legal factors; Local government; Performance based specifications; Regulations; Research; Risk analysis; Risk assessment; Routes; Safety; Specifications; State government; State of the art studies; Traffic crashes; Transportation
• Uncontrolled Terms: Emergency procedures; Federal programs
• Old TRIS Terms: Government regulations; Strategy; Transportation research
• Subject Areas: Law; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Transportation (General); I82: Accidents and Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00319706
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 139
• Files: HSL, TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jan 19 1983 12:00AM