The following are bullet point ideas that can be used to communicate the requirements of HM-215I.

·        The shipment of hazardous materials on a global scale is guided by the United Nations.   Every two years the United Nations Council of Experts on Dangerous Goods issues guidance on the classification, shipment and handling of hazardous material (known globally as Dangerous Goods).  The guidance is designed to allow the seamless movement of a hazardous material from one country to the next.  The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) often adopts this guidance in an effort to harmonize the classification, shipment and handling of hazardous material.   The actual division of the DOT that oversees the hazardous material regulations is the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA).  Harmonization often results in the addition or deletion of proper shipping names, different classification for products, new labeling/marking requirements, etc.  HM-215I is part of this ongoing effort.

·        HM-215I was posted in the Federal Register on December 29, 2006.  Voluntary compliance is authorized as a January 1, 2007 with mandatory compliance required as of January 1, 2008.  HM-215I removed the following DOT proper shipping names:

o       Rare gas mixtures, compressed UN 1979

o       Rare gases and oxygen mixtures, compressed UN 1980

o       Rare gases and nitrogen mixtures, compressed UN 1981

o       Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide mixtures UN 1015

o       Carbon dioxide and oxygen mixtures compressed UN 1014

o       Carbon monoxide and hydrogen mixtures, compressed UN 2600

·        A Rare Gas is listed in the Periodic Table of Elements as one of the following:

o       Helium

o       Argon

o       Neon

o       Zeon

o       Radon

o       Krypton

·        The above listed proper shipping names will not be allowed to be used on a hazardous material shipping paper or as a cylinder marking/label after January 1, 2008.   Example after January 1, 2008:

o       A mixture of Helium and Argon would be described under the Compressed gas, n.o.s. (helium, argon) proper shipping name.

·       After January 1, 2008 an open top cryogenic container designed for the transportation of a cryogenic refrigerated liquid will be required to be marked on two opposing sides with arrows indicating the correct upright direction of the container.  The arrows must be either black or red in color on a white background or other suitable background color.  The size of the arrows must be commensurate with the size of the container.

·       Currently for the domestic transportation of a hazardous material the DOT allows – 49 CFR 172.202(b) – the UN number to be listed before or after the proper shipping name on a hazardous material shipping paper.   The globally accepted practice is to list the UN number first.   Example, UN 1956 Compressed gas, n.o.s.   HM-215I requires that by January 1, 2013 the UN number must be listed first on all hazardous material shipping papers for domestic use.

o      The change in the proper shipping sequence on a hazardous material shipping paper will not change the proper shipping name sequence on a CGA C-7 marking.   The change is only to the hazardous material shipping paper (when you read HM-215I the section being changed deals with shipping papers, there is no mention or reference to the section of 49 CFR that deals with markings/labels).

A copy of HM215I is available by using this link. and selecting the HM215I download.  This will give you a PDF version of the regulation for you to read.

The DOT has issued a Final Rule regarding the transportation of oxygen cylinders and other oxidizing gases (such as mixtures shipped under the compressed gas, oxidizing, n.o.s. proper shipping name) on aircraft.The Final Rule has an effective date of October, 1, 2007. Although this does not have direct implications regarding the labeling of your cylinders, it may be of interest to in regards to your future plans in cylinder shipments.

For more information please check check this link or consult with your compliance department or regulatory consultant.

With the introduction of the new Cylinder-Labels.com web site, Label Solutions is introducing a new regulatory update service.  This area of the website will be updated periodically as regulatory and compliance information is released that will affect the labeling of your cylinders.  This update information will be from information obtained from our consultants and numerous regulatory and compliance experts. 

In addition to visiting this site, you may also call Label Solutions customer service department to be put on an email list whereby you will receive an email notifying you about updates or other items posted to this site regarding regulatory compliance changes.

As we further develop this area of this site, we also ask for your suggestions on additional information that may be of assistance to you in this area.