Tomorrow, March 30, 2017, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will publish a new revision to the United States Hazmat rules. The new revision is intended to better harmonize United States Hazmat rules with the ICAOTechnical Instructions for Shipping Dangerous Goods. The Technical Instructions are republished by IATA as the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and are widely used in the aviation community.
Those who work with standards for cylinders, and those who fill, or service/requalify, cylinders, will want to review these changes carefully.
The changes also better clarify how to identify certain types of vehicles, including remote control aircraft.
Lithium battery special conditions (e.g. special conditions 181-182) are updated. Section 173.185, which provides the packaging instructions for lithium cells and batteries, is also updated. Be sure you follow the new labeling and marking requirements!
The new US Lithium Battery Label is authorized for use immediately in 2017
Shippers subject to U.S. jurisdiction are permitted to voluntarily comply with the new rules as of January 1, 2017 (yes, that is three months before the final rule was published). The mandatory compliance date will be January 1, 2018.