Authors: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Date of Publication:  August 1979

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Performing Organization:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Report No: NTSB-HZM-79-2

Abstract:

The Safety Board has investigated eight serious transportation accidents since 1972 which involved hazardous materials in transit.  These accidents, which occurred in air, rail, and highway carrier operations, resulted in many injuries and fatalities as well as extensive property losses because of hazardous materials releases.  During these investigations, noncompliance with the hazardous materials safety regulations was found in the areas of packaging, labeling, recordkeeping/documentation, and quantity limits in nearly every case.  Since regulations governing the shipment of hazardous materials, which are currently published in titles 46 and 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), have been in effect since 1900, the Safety Board completed this study to determine the reasons for noncompliance.

As a result of its findings in this special study, the National Transportation Safety Board made four recommendations to the U.S. Department of Transportation about hazardous materials safety regulations and compliance programs.
 

No. of Pages:  58