IHMM Today March 17, 2026

IHMM Today is an online publication of the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management® (IHMM®).

Other than content specifically provided by IHMM, articles contained in IHMM Today are compiled from

independent sources and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of IHMM.

IHMM launched its “Open to Work” online COLLABORATION community exclusively for IHMM certificants looking to connect, share resumes, and discover job opportunities together in a supportive environment.

You can find this community after logging into COLLABORATION here: https://community.ihmm.org/home

Sean Grady, CHMM – Environmental Transformation Podcast

Sponsored Content

IHMM Issues Analysis of PHMSA NPRM HM-215R to amend the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations

Federal Register  Deadline April 13, 2026

According to the Federal Register from February 10, 2026, PHMSA issued NPRM HM-215R to amend the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 C.F.R. Parts 171–180) to maintain statutory alignment with updated international dangerous goods standards, as directed by 49 U.S.C. § 5120.

IHMM requests comments back to IHMM Executive Director Eugene A. Guilford, Jr., CAE, no later than April 1, 2026

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IHMM has begun its review of the PHMSA NPRM on HM-215R. Below is an outline of where we are as of today. We seek certificant input into what will become IHMM comments filed with PHMSA on or before April 13, 2026.

I. Statutory and Regulatory Purpose

A. Statutory Authority

The proposed rule is issued pursuant to the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA), 49 U.S.C. §5120, which directs the Secretary of Transportation to ensure that U.S. hazardous materials transportation regulations remain generally consistent with international standards unless doing so would reduce safety or conflict with national interests.

B. Core Objectives

The NPRM seeks to:

1. Maintain alignment between the U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) and international dangerous goods regulations.

2. Facilitate international trade and multimodal transportation.

3. Reduce compliance costs by eliminating regulatory discrepancies.

4. Maintain or enhance transportation safety.

C. Regulatory Framework

The rule proposes amendments across multiple HMR parts governing:

• Hazardous materials classification

• Packaging requirements

• Hazard communication

• Air transport limits

• Vessel stowage provisions

These amendments incorporate updates from international regulatory bodies and codes.

Read more here

IHMM Joins Coalition Urging OSHA to Modernize PPE Standards

Clean Water Act Hazardous Substance Facility Response Plans: Compliance Date Delay and Changes To Reflect Administration Policy

EPA Calculators Managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory Are Now Available Online

Thank you for your patience during the recent service interruption affecting EPA Superfund calculators managed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We apologize for the disruption and appreciate your understanding. We are pleased to report that all affected calculators are now available online again.

The restored tools include:

 RSL/RML https://lnkd.in/gx4yKrQt
· VISL https://lnkd.in/g7s6Vn3p
· PRG https://lnkd.in/g5qy7Rib
· BPRG https://epa-bprg.ornl.gov/
· SPRG https://epa-sprg.ornl.gov/
· DCC https://epa-dccs.ornl.gov/
· BDCC https://epa-bdcc.ornl.gov/
· SDCC https://epa-sdcc.ornl.gov/
· RVISL https://lnkd.in/gutYgpV4
· CPM https://epa-cpm.ornl.gov/

Also see > https://epa-prgs.ornl.gov/cgi-bin/chemicals/csl_search

Environmental News for This Week: March 11-17, 2026

Workplace Safety News This Week: March 11-17, 2026

Safety Champions Program

The Safety Champions Program is a new program for employers to develop and implement an effective safety and health program. The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The Program incorporates the seven core elements of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.

The Safety Champion Program has three Steps (Introductory, Intermediate, and Advanced). The Steps are self-guided, and participants may work at their own pace. Safety Champion participants may also request a Safety Champion Special Government Employee (SGE) to assess their safety and health program and Step progress at any time.

IHMM is a Premier Partner of the Falls 2026 Campaign

May 4-8, 2026

What is a Safety Stand-Down?

A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. Employers of companies not exposed to fall hazards can also use this opportunity to have a conversation with employees about the other job hazards they face, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about falls and other job hazards they see.

• The 2026 hardhat sticker ordering form is open.

In the coming weeks, IHMM will be making materials available for the Falls 2026 Campaign!   In addition, IHMM is looking for 2 volunteers, each from a different construction company, who can tell a great story about how they prevent falls in construction.

Save the Date – Safe + Sound Week 2026 – August 10-16, 2026

Global DG Transport Regulatory Update: March 11-17, 2026

IHMM Global DG Transport Compliance Matrix (2025–2026)

IHMM Certificant Compliance Checklist

Week of March 11 -March 17, 2026

For the week of March 11–17, 2026, the regulatory picture for dangerous goods and hazardous materials transportation is being shaped more by active dockets, enforcement activity, and implementation measures than by any single new treaty text. Because today is March 15, 2026, this summary covers developments reported through March 15, and notes scheduled items through March 17 where those are already officially announced.

United States

In the United States, the most concrete new federal development this week is PHMSA’s March 12 notice announcing its 2026 Hazardous Materials Safety Research, Development, and Technology Forum, to be held March 31–April 2, 2026, in the Washington area. PHMSA said the forum will focus on research priorities, including efficient safety standards, risk reduction for emergency response, safe energy storage technologies, and innovative packaging, and will solicit industry input on future hazardous-materials transportation research needs. That is not a substantive rule amendment, but it is a meaningful regulatory signal because it shows where PHMSA intends to concentrate technical development and, likely, future rulemaking and guidance.

At the same time, PHMSA’s HM-215R harmonization NPRM remains the principal live rulemaking affecting U.S. hazmat transport. That proposal, published February 10, would update the HMR to better align with international standards on proper shipping names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging authorizations, air quantity limits, and vessel stowage. For U.S. shippers moving cargo internationally, the legal significance this week is that the comment period remains open and the agency is still clearly moving toward closer integration with the UN/ICAO/IMDG framework.

Read more here

Collaboration and Information Sharing

Effective information sharing plays an important role in strengthening school climate and helping the professionals who support students work together effectively. In this training, participants explore common challenges to sharing information, including misunderstandings about privacy laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and how schools can balance privacy with the need for collaboration. Watch the training to learn practical strategies for sharing verified information, communicating clearly during urgent situations, and navigating the roles and legal considerations that shape information sharing.

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External Opportunities

4/15/26 – Preventing Mass Attacks in Our Communities
Hosted by the U.S. Secret Service

5/20/26 – Enhancing School Safety Using Behavioral Threat Assessment
Hosted by the U.S. Secret Service

Recent News from the European Chemicals Agency

• Looking ahead to 2026: A stronger, future‑ready ECHA
• SEAC agrees its draft opinion on PFAS restriction proposal
• New intentions, proposal and withdrawal to harmonise classification and labelling
• Combined consultation on candidate for substitution and derogation to exclusion criteria
• Fourth workshop on battery materials
• Science seminar: Navigating value-laden judgments about NAMs in regulatory toxicology
• Follow live: Results of REF-12 enforcement project
• Legal Advisor
• Call for expressions of interest – Ad hoc members of the Board of Appeal
• SME webinar: Do you need to register under REACH?
• NanoPharos: making nanomaterials data easier to find, use, and trust
• Call to renew membership of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS)

IHMM Foundation Affinity Programs For Certificants