The 2008 Emergency Response Guide: Changes and Implications

(From the latest Counterterrorism & Homeland Security Reports)

By Bob Jaffin

Security professionals need to have practical working knowledge of Hazardous Materials (HM) and the Emergency Response Guide (ERG). For our discussions, we will categorize HM as either material inherently hazardous by definition or material that must be treated as hazardous for disposal. Strictly speaking, any material in sufficient quantity in the wrong place can become hazardous and many materials we classify as hazardous are essential to the function of the human body. The issues that makes this of interest to IACSP members are that HM is product based, is seldom completely consumed/expended and it must be produced then moved and then used. Since HM is seldom produced used and then disposed of at one location, transportation becomes the common denominator. That brings us to the Emergency Response Guide (ERG), which is produced by the US DOT.

The ERG has been updated every 4 years since 1996 and the 2008 version is hitting the street now. In 2004 1.73 million ERGs were printed by the US DO, for 2008 over 2.6 million copies of the 2008 ERG are expected to be provided free to the Nation?s First Responders. In addition the ERG2004 Mobile for Pocket PC (PDAs) and Windows-based PCs demo is now planned for updating and the USDOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) hopes to release that product as the ERG2008. To see or get the new 2008 ERG go to http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/gydebook.htm In 1991 the US began a very complex and tortuous process to align the 49 CFR with the rest of the world. We are at the tail end of that process now, the difference in the number and type of changes between the 2000 ERG and 2004 ERG compared to the difference between the 2004 ERG, and 2008 ERG reflects that. The majority of the 2008 changes reflect technology and homeland security impacts rather than harmonization and standardization. A quick comparison:

2000 to 2004 saw 1050 changes in the 3400 Proper Shipping name universe
2004 to 2008 saw only 50 changes in the now 3500 Proper Shipping name universe.


ETHANOL AND GASOLINE MIXTURES
UN3475 A new ID number with six proper shipping names to accommodate language and vocabulary differences

LITHIUM BATTERIES
UN3090 & UN3091 the old IDs are still good for lithium metal batteries BUT
UN3480 & UN3481 are the new ID numbers for Lithium Ion batteries

FUEL CELL CARTRIDGES
UN3473 fuel cells flammable liquid
UN3476 fuel cells water reactive
UN3477 fuel cells corrosive
UN3478 fuel cells flammable gas
UN3479 fuel cells hydrogen in metal hydride

HYDROGEN SYSTEMS
UN3468 Hydrogen storage systems hydrogen in metal hydride
Read More ...

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