A Department of Transportation (DOT) meeting has been scheduled to discuss defining when a carrier has knowledge of an illegal offering, acceptance, or transportation of a hazardous material. The meeting is scheduled from 9 am until 5 pm, November 14, 2001, at DOT headquarters in Washington DC.
The meeting follows a request by Federal Express Corporation for DOT to develop further guidance on what constitutes "constructive knowledge" that a carrier has of the presence of hazardous materials when it accepts a shipment for transportation.
Federal Express voiced concern that carriers lack the essential criteria on the subject to develop a viable employee training program related to it. The company also stated that it is difficult to identify and report discrepancies "without being subjected to second guessing after a shipment has been transported," according to DOT information.
Likely topics for discussion at the meeting will include responsibilities of shippers and carriers to properly process shipments of hazardous materials, when a person should have constructive knowledge of the potential presence of hazardous materials, and methods that should be used to train personnel who handle the materials.
The meeting will be held at 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington DC, Room 2300. Anyone who wishes to make a statement at the meeting must contact Thomas Sherman before November 1, 2001, at 202-366-5864 or email [email protected].
More information can be found in the Federal Register at www.access.gpo.gov. www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont01.html.