PHMSA issues rail hazmat reporting rule

The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) yesterday announced a final rule that requires railroads to proactively provide first responders with real-time, electronic information about rail hazmat shipments.

Under the rule, as soon a railroad is aware of an accident or incident involving hazardous materials, it must report the information to a primary public safety answering point, such as a 9-1-1 call center or emergency responder phone app such as the AskRail Mobile App, PHMSA officials said in a press release.

The rule was drafted in response to the Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which occurred in February 2023.

“We heard first-hand from firefighters that were responding to the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine that they and other first responders need hazardous materials train consists as soon as an incident occurs,” said PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown. “This information will ensure the heroes that are responding to an incident can prepare for what they will encounter instead of waiting until after they get on scene to try to access this vital information.”

The final rule requires all railroads to generate, in hard copy and electronic versions, real-time train consist information for shipments containing hazardous materials. Required information includes the quantity and position of the hazardous materials on the train, the train’s origin and destination, emergency response information, and a designated emergency point of contact at the railroad.

The new rule will ensure firefighters can make full use of PHMSA’s 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook, as well as the mobile phone ERG app, which PHMSA recently distributed to nearly 2 million first responders.