14 February 2002
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
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[Federal Register: February 14, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 31)]
[Notices]
[Page 6963-6966]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14fe02-112]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[RSPA-2002-11270, Notice No. 02-4]
Advisory Notice; Enhancing the Security of Hazardous Materials in
Transportation
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.
ACTION: Advisory notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice advises shippers and carriers of voluntary
measures to enhance the security of hazardous materials shipments
during
[[Page 6964]]
transportation. The notice addresses personnel, facility, and en route
security issues and includes contact points for obtaining additional,
more detailed information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Gorsky, Office of Hazardous
Materials Standards, Research and Special Programs Administration,
telephone (202) 366-8553.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As a result of the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and
subsequent threats related to biological materials, the Research and
Special Programs Administration (RSPA, we) is engaged in a broad review
of government and industry hazardous materials transportation safety
and security programs. As part of this review, we established the
Hazardous Materials Direct Action Group (Hazmat DAG). The Hazmat DAG
met with representatives of the hazardous materials industry, emergency
response community, and state governments to discuss transportation
security issues in the wake of the September 11 attacks and continuing
terrorist threats.
In the wrong hands, hazardous materials pose a significant security
threat, particularly those that may be used as weapons of mass
destruction. Persons who offer, transport, or store hazardous materials
in transit should review their security measures and make any necessary
adjustments to ensure the security of hazardous materials shipments.
Based in part on discussions in the Hazmat DAG and on the results
of our initial internal review of ongoing security programs and
practices, we identified a number of actions for persons involved in
the transportation of hazardous materials to implement to enhance
security. You should consider actions commensurate with the level of
threat posed by the specific hazardous materials you handle. These
possible actions are not government regulations or mandates. However,
we strongly suggest that you consider implementation of the following
measures as appropriate to your industry and operations.
I. Security Plan
The most important action a shipper or carrier should consider is
the development and implementation of a security plan. You can use a
risk management model to assess security risks and develop appropriate
measures to reduce or eliminate risk. Most risk management models
utilize the following steps:
(1) Identify areas of concern and partners that may be affected or
with whom coordination may be appropriate;
(2) Assemble detailed information on system operations;
(3) Identify control points where interventions can reduce or
eliminate risk;
(4) Select and prioritize options to meet identified security
goals;
(5) Take action to implement the strategy;
(6) Verify implementation of the strategy; and
(7) Evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy to determine whether
additional actions are necessary.
You may first want to list materials you handle, and identify those
materials with the potential to be used as weapons of mass destruction
or targets of opportunity. Then, consider a review of your current
activities and operations from a transportation security perspective.
Ask yourself, ``What are we doing now? What could go wrong? What can we
do differently?'' The next step is to consider how to reduce the risks
you have identified. For hazardous materials transportation, a security
plan likely will focus on personnel, facility, and en route security
issues. To assist you in performing appropriate risk assessments, we
posted a Risk Management Self-Evaluation Framework on our website
(http://hazmat.dot.gov).
II. Personnel Security
Your employees can be one of your most critical assets as you
endeavor to improve the security of your shipping or transportation
operations. You should consider taking one or more of the following
actions:
Assure your employees are familiar with your security plan
and properly trained in its implementation. Training should include
company security objectives, specific security procedures, employee
responsibilities, and organizational security structure.
Encourage your employees to report suspicious incidents or
events.
Implement routine security inspections.
Convene regular employee/management meetings on security
measures and awareness.
Have an internal communication system to inform your staff
of events, facts, trends, updates, and the like. Because Internet
communications may be accessed by others, consider alternative methods
for communicating sensitive information.
At the same time, you should be aware of the possibility that
someone you hire may pose a potential security risk. You should
consider establishing a process to verify the information provided by
applicants on application forms or resumes, including checking with
former and current employers and personal references provided by job
applicants.
III. Facility Security
You should consider taking one or more of the following steps to
prevent unauthorized access to your facility:
Establish partnerships with local law enforcement
officials, emergency responders and other public safety agencies with
jurisdiction over your facility. Through such relationships, you can
learn about threats, trends, and successful and unsuccessful security
programs.
Request a review of your facility and security program by
local law enforcement officials.
Restrict the availability of information related to your
facility and the materials you handle. Encourage authorities in
possession of information about your facility to limit disclosure of
that information on a need-to-know basis.
Add security guards and increase off-hours patrols by
security or law enforcement personnel.
Improve fencing around your facility. Check the adequacy
of locks and other protective equipment. Consider equipping access
gates with timed closure devices. Conduct frequent inspections.
Install additional lights, alarm systems, or surveillance
cameras.
Restrict access to a single entry or gate.
Place limits on visitor access; require visitors to
register and show photo identification and have someone accompany
visitors at all times.
Require employees to display identification cards or
badges.
Conduct security spot checks of personnel and vehicles.
Upgrade security procedures for handling pick-ups and
deliveries at your facilities. Verify all paperwork and require pick-
ups and deliveries to be handled only by appointment with known
vendors. Require vendors to call before a delivery and to provide the
driver's name and vehicle number. Accept packages and deliveries only
at the facility front gate.
Secure hazardous materials in locked buildings or fenced
areas. Have a sign-out system for keys.
Secure valves, manways, and other fixtures on
transportation equipment when not in use. Lock all vehicle and delivery
trailer doors when not in use. Secure all rail, truck, and barge
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containers when stored at your location. Use tamper-resistant or
tamper-evident seals and locks on cargo compartment openings.
Periodically inventory the quantity of hazardous materials
you have on site in order to recognize if a theft has occurred.
Keep records of security incidents. Review records to
identify trends and potential vulnerabilities.
Report any suspicious incidents or individuals to your
local Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) office and to local law
enforcement officials.
IV. En Route Security
Shippers and carriers can work together to assure the security of
hazardous materials shipments en route from origin to destination:
Shippers should assess the transportation modes or
combinations of modes available for transporting specific materials and
select the most appropriate method of transportation to assure
efficient and secure movement of product from origin to destination.
Know your carriers. Have a system for qualifying the
carriers used to transport hazardous materials. Use carrier safety
ratings, assessments, safety surveys, or audits and ask the carrier to
provide information on security measures it has implemented. Verify the
carrier has an appropriate employee hiring and review process,
including background checks, and an on-going security training program.
Verify the identity of carrier and/or driver prior to
loading a hazardous material. Ask the driver for photo identification
and commercial drivers license and compare with information provided by
the carrier. Ask the driver to tell you the name of the consignee and
the destination for the material and confirm with your records before
releasing shipments.
Identify preferred and alternative routing, including
acceptable deviations. Strive to minimize product exposures to
communities or populated areas, including downtown areas; avoid tunnels
and bridges where possible; and expedite transportation of the shipment
to its final destination.
Minimize stops en route; if you must stop, select
locations with adequate lighting on well-traveled roads and check your
vehicle after each stop to make sure nothing has been tampered with.
Consider using two drivers or driver relays to minimize stops during
the trip. Avoid layovers, particularly for high hazard materials.
Shippers and rail carriers should cooperate to assure the
security of rail cars stored temporarily on leased track.
If materials must be stored during transportation, make
sure they are stored in secure facilities.
Train drivers in how to avoid highjacking or stolen
cargo--keep vehicles locked when parked and avoid casual conversations
with strangers about cargoes and routes.
Consider if a guard or escort for a specific shipment or
hazardous material is appropriate.
Consider utilizing advanced technology to track or protect
shipments en route to their destinations. For example, you may wish to
install tractor and trailer anti-theft devices or utilize satellite
tracking or surveillance systems. As an alternative, consider frequent
checks with drivers by cell phone to ensure everything is in order.
Install tamper-proof seals on all valves and package or
container openings.
Establish a communication system with transport vehicles
and operators, including a crisis communication system with primary and
back-up means of communication among the shipper, carrier, and law
enforcement and emergency response officials.
Implement a system for a customer to alert the shipper if
a hazardous materials shipment is not received when expected. When
products are delivered, check the carrier's identity with shipping
documents provided by the shipper.
Get to know your customers and their hazardous materials
programs. If you suspect you shipped or delivered a hazardous material
to someone who may intend to use it for a criminal purpose, notify your
local FBI office or local law enforcement officials.
Report any suspicious incidents or individuals to your
local FBI office and to local law enforcement officials.
V. Additional Information
Up-to-date information is a key element of any security plan. You
should consider methods to: (1) Gather as much data as you can about
your own operations and those of other businesses with similar product
lines and transportation patterns; (2) develop a communications network
to share best practices and lessons learned; (3) share information on
security incidents to determine if there is a pattern of activities
that, when considered in isolation are not significant, but when taken
as a whole generate concern; and (4) revise your security plans as
necessary to take account of changed circumstances and new information.
The following resources may be helpful:
Federal Agencies
Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590,
Telephone: 800-467-4922 (Hazardous Materials Information Center),
hazmat.dot.gov (Hazmat Safety Homepage)
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591, Telephone: 202-366-4000, www.faa.gov
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of
Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590,
Telephone, www.fmcsa.dot.gov
Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation,
1120 Vermont Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20590, Telephone,
www.fra.dot.gov
United States Coast Guard, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC
20593, Telephone: 202-267-2229, www.uscg.mil
Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460, Telephone: 202-260-
2090, www.epa.gov
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, Telephone, www.osha.gov
Industry Associations and Organizations
American Chemistry Council, 1300 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington,
Virginia 22209, Telephone: 703-741-5000, www.americanchemistry.com
American Petroleum Institute, 1220 L Street, NW., Washington, DC
20005, Telephone: 202-682-8000, www.api.org
American Society for Industrial Security, 1625 Prince Street,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314, Telephone: 703-519-6200,
www.asisonline.org
American Trucking Associations, 2200 Mill Road, Alexandria, Virginia
22314, Telephone: 703-838-1700, www.truckline.com
Association of American Railroads, 50 F Street, NW., Washington, DC
20001-1564, Telephone: 202-639-2100, www.aar.org
Center for Chemical Process Safety, American Institute of Chemical
Engineers, 3 Park Ave, New York, N.Y. 10016-5991, Telephone: 212-
591-7319, www.aiche.org/ccps
Chlorine Institute, Suite 506, 2001 L Street, NW., Washington, DC
20036, Telephone: 202-775-2790, www.cl2.com
Compressed Gas Association, Suite 1004, 1725 Jefferson Davis
Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202, Telephone: 703-412-0900,
www.cganet.com
Fertilizer Institute, Union Center Plaza, Suite 430, 820 First
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20002, Telephone: 202-962-0490,
www.tfi.org
Institute of Makers of Explosives, Suite 310, 1120 19th Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20036, Telephone: 202-429-9280, www.ime.org
National Association of Chemical Distributors, Suite 1250, 1560
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22209, Telephone: 703-527-
6223, www.nacd.com
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National Propane Gas Association, Suite 100, 600 Eisenhower Lane,
Lisle, Illinois 60532, Telephone: 630-515-0600, www.npga.org
National Tank Truck Carriers, 2200 Mill Road, Alexandria, Virginia
22314, Telephone: 703-838-1960, www.tanktransport.com
Security Industry Association, 635 Slaters Lane, Alexandria,
Virginia 22314, www.siaonline.org
Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association, Suite 700,
1850 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036, Telephone: 202-721-4100,
www.socma.com
The above listing is by no means exhaustive; other government and
private organizations have developed or are developing hazardous
materials transportation security guidelines.
Issued in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2002.
Robert A. McGuire,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. 02-3636 Filed 2-13-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P