Safety Advisory: Packaging and Handling Ebola Virus Contaminated Infectious Waste for Transportation to Disposal Sites, 64646-64647 [2014-25778]

Download as PDF 64646 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 210 / Thursday, October 30, 2014 / Notices NAS data is now available to support strategic and tactical traffic management and flight operations up to, but not including, those uses directly affecting aircraft trajectories. Through AAtS, aircraft are provided a means to connect to a collection of common aeronautical, meteorological, and traffic management information sources from multiple services including the FAA, National Weather Service (NWS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and airports, creating a shared and globally interoperable aviation information environment. Phase 2 of the AAtS initiative facilitates a common information environment supporting flight crew involvement in the collaborative decision making process even further. AAtS will not implement a specific infrastructure for the creation of the service link to the aircraft. The AAtS Demonstrations and Concept development teams will define a set of operational and technical recommendations to be used as guidance to drive infrastructure development. Furthermore, AAtS provides information which is noncritical only. The AAtS Phase 2 Working Group Meeting will be a forum for discussions regarding the operational needs for a capability such as AAtS. Questions to be answered in the next phase of AAtS activities include: What information is needed for a more successful operation, how the information is used, and what information could the operator provide back to the FAA for other operators to base decisions upon. Individuals attending the meeting will have an opportunity to participate in AAtS Working Group discussions involving Title 14 Code of Federal Regulation parts 121, 135 and 91 Operational demonstrations with an Electronic Flight Bag application as well as developmental discussions regarding AAtS utility in defining, updating, and manipulating trajectories. Participant insight is valuable in progressing AAtS IP Data Link capabilities into a bidirectional exchange of data between ground to ground and air to ground operational functionality. tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Registration To attend the meeting, participants must register via email by close of business day Wednesday, November 12, 2014. In accordance with security procedures, participants must provide the following information to Katelyn@ jma-solutions.com: Full Name, Company, Phone Number, and U. S. Citizen (Y/N). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:40 Oct 29, 2014 Jkt 235001 Issued in Washington, DC, on October 27, 2014. Paul Fontaine, Director, NextGen Advanced Concepts & Technology Development. [FR Doc. 2014–25827 Filed 10–29–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA–2014–0134, Notice No. 14–04] Safety Advisory: Packaging and Handling Ebola Virus Contaminated Infectious Waste for Transportation to Disposal Sites Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Safety Advisory Notice. AGENCY: PHMSA is issuing this safety advisory to provide guidance on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR, parts 171–180) to persons who prepare, offer, and transport materials contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles E. Betts, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, Standards and Rulemaking Division, (202) 366–8553, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590–0001. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Safety Advisory provides guidance on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR, parts 171–180) to persons who prepare, offer and transport materials contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus. The HMR apply to any material that the DOT determines is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce.1 Material contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with Ebola is regulated as a Category A infectious substance under the HMR. To ensure their safe transportation, the Ebola contaminated materials must be packaged in conformity with the applicable requirements in the HMR for Category A infectious substances. Ebola contaminated materials that have been SUMMARY: 1 The HMR applies to interstate, intrastate, and foreign commerce. PO 00000 Frm 00084 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 appropriately incinerated, autoclaved, or otherwise inactivated are not considered Category A infectious substances and are not subject to the requirements of the HMR. For more information on the HMR requirements see https://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/ transporting-infectious-substances. For guidance on how to handle infectious substances before transporting them, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (see https:// www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/ index.html). This document is intended to provide general guidance and does not address many of the specific provisions and exceptions contained in the HMR. It should not be used as a substitute for the HMR to determine compliance. Strict compliance with the HMR is required, unless you have been granted a special permit. Transportation of a hazardous material in a motor vehicle, aircraft, or vessel operated by a Federal, state, or local government employee solely for noncommercial Federal, state, or local government purposes is not subject to the HMR. Accordingly, waste generated from the treatment of a patient contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus transported by a Federal, state, or local government employee to a disposal facility is not subject to the HMR. DOT, however, recommends that Federal, state, or local governments comply with appropriate safety requirements provided in the HMR to ensure the safe transportation of waste contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus. We also recommend compliance with all conditions and operational controls specified in any applicable special permit issued for the transportation of waste contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus and our guidance referred to below. To transport materials contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus, a special permit may be necessary to allow for a variance of the HMR packaging requirements to handle the larger volume of contaminated waste generated during the treatment of Ebola patients. DOT may grant a special permit if the applicant can demonstrate that an alternative packaging will achieve a safety level that is at least equal to the safety level required under HMR or is consistent with the public interest if a required safety level does not exist. Emergency processing of special permits applies when the special permit is necessary to prevent significant injury to persons or property not preventable under normal E:\FR\FM\30OCN1.SGM 30OCN1 tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 210 / Thursday, October 30, 2014 / Notices processing, for immediate national security, or to prevent significant economic loss. To qualify for emergency processing, the application must meet specific criteria, justifications must be well documented, and describe the impact if the special permit is not granted. PHMSA issued a non-site specific special permit (Special Permit DOT–SP 16279) to certain waste haulers, which authorizes the transportation in commerce of waste contaminated with or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus for disposal. Other waste haulers not yet authorized under Special Permit DOT–SP 16279 may apply for party status in accordance with 49 CFR 107.107. If an entity needs a variance from the HMR, it must apply for a special permit as provided in 49 CFR part 107 subpart B. The DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has provided the following guidance on the transportation of these materials: • ‘‘DOT Guidance for Preparing Packages of Ebola Contaminated Waste for Transportation and Disposal’’ provides guidance to prepare packages containing waste contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus for transportation to offsite treatment and disposal. https:// phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/ DownloadableFiles/Files/suspected_ ebola_patient_packaging_guidance_ final.pdf. • ‘‘DOT Guidance for Transporting Ebola Contaminated Items, a Category A Infectious Substance’’ provides common FAQs regarding the HMR requirements for Category A infectious substances. https://phmsa.dot.gov/portal/site/ PHMSA/menuitem.6f23687cf 7b00b0f22e4c6962d9c8789/?vgnextoid= 4d1800e36b978410VgnVCM100000d2 c97898RCRD&vgnextchannel= d248724dd7d6c010VgnVCM10000080e 8a8c0RCRD&vgnextfmt=print. • ‘‘Transporting Infectious Substances Safely’’ brochure that explains the HMR for transporting infectious substance is available at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pv_obj_ cache/pv_obj_id_54AC1BCBF0 DFBE298024C4C700569893C2582700/ filename/Transporting_Infectious_ Substances_brochure.pdf. • Special Permit DOT–SP 16279 provides certain carriers with alternative authorized packaging options for transporting waste contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus for treatment and disposal. https:// phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/ DownloadableFiles/Files/DOT_SP_ 16279.pdf. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:40 Oct 29, 2014 Jkt 235001 Additional Information Æ All Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance regarding the Ebola virus is available at: https:// www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/. For questions on the HMR requirements, please contact the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) Hazardous Materials Information Center at 1–800– 467–4922, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eastern time. Magdy El-Sibaie, Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. [FR Doc. 2014–25778 Filed 10–29–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–60–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board Notice and Request for Comments AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT. 30-day notice of request for approval: Extension of Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. ACTION: As part of its continuing effort to streamline the process to seek feedback from the public on agency service delivery, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501–3519 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives notice that it is requesting from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of generic clearance for the collection of qualitative feedback on agency service delivery. The Board previously published a notice about this collection in the Federal Register on July 28, 2014, at 79 FR 43820. That notice allowed for a 60day public review and comment period. No comments were received. Comments may now be submitted to OMB concerning: (1) The accuracy of the Board’s burden estimates; (2) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (3) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology when appropriate; and (4) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility. Submitted comments will be considered and also included in the Board’s request for OMB approval. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 64647 Description of Collection Title: Generic Clearance for the Collection of Qualitative Feedback on Agency Service Delivery. OMB Control Number: 2140–0019. STB Form Number: None. Type of Review: Extension without change. Affected Public: Individuals and Households, Businesses and Organizations, State, and Local or Tribal Government. Average Expected Annual Number of Activities: 5. Respondents: 15 (for one focus group), 150 (for each of two surveys), 200 (for each of two comments card requests). Annual Responses: 15 (for focus groups), 300 (for surveys), and 400 (for comment cards). Frequency of Response: Once per request. Average Minutes per Response: 24 minutes (2 hours per focus group, 36 minutes per survey, 10 minutes per comment card). Burden Hours: 277. Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): We estimate a total of 277 hours for all respondents (24 minutes per response × 715 responses). Total ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’ Cost: Because respondents email their response letters to the Board, there are no non-hour costs to respondents. Needs and Uses: The information collection activity will garner qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback in an efficient, timely manner, in accordance with the Governmentwide commitment to improving service delivery. By qualitative feedback we mean information that provides useful insights on perceptions and opinions, as opposed to statistical surveys that yield quantitative results that can be generalized to the population of study. This feedback will provide insights into customer or stakeholder perceptions, experiences and expectations; provide an early warning of issues about how the Board provides service to the public; or focus attention on areas where communication, training, or changes in operations might improve delivery of products or services. These collections will allow for ongoing, collaborative and actionable communications between the Board and its customers and stakeholders. It will also allow feedback to contribute directly to the improvement of the Board’s program management. Feedback collected under this generic clearance will provide useful information, but it will not yield data that can be generalized to the overall E:\FR\FM\30OCN1.SGM 30OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 210 (Thursday, October 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64646-64647]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25778]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2014-0134, Notice No. 14-04]


Safety Advisory: Packaging and Handling Ebola Virus Contaminated 
Infectious Waste for Transportation to Disposal Sites

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
DOT.

ACTION: Safety Advisory Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: PHMSA is issuing this safety advisory to provide guidance on 
the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Hazardous Materials 
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR, parts 171-180) to persons who prepare, offer, 
and transport materials contaminated or suspected of being contaminated 
with the Ebola virus.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles E. Betts, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Safety, Standards and Rulemaking Division, (202) 366-8553, 
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Safety Advisory provides guidance on 
the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Hazardous Materials 
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR, parts 171-180) to persons who prepare, offer 
and transport materials contaminated or suspected of being contaminated 
with the Ebola virus. The HMR apply to any material that the DOT 
determines is capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, 
and property when transported in commerce.\1\ Material contaminated or 
suspected of being contaminated with Ebola is regulated as a Category A 
infectious substance under the HMR. To ensure their safe 
transportation, the Ebola contaminated materials must be packaged in 
conformity with the applicable requirements in the HMR for Category A 
infectious substances. Ebola contaminated materials that have been 
appropriately incinerated, autoclaved, or otherwise inactivated are not 
considered Category A infectious substances and are not subject to the 
requirements of the HMR. For more information on the HMR requirements 
see https://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/transporting-infectious-substances. For 
guidance on how to handle infectious substances before transporting 
them, refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 
(see https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The HMR applies to interstate, intrastate, and foreign 
commerce.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    This document is intended to provide general guidance and does not 
address many of the specific provisions and exceptions contained in the 
HMR. It should not be used as a substitute for the HMR to determine 
compliance. Strict compliance with the HMR is required, unless you have 
been granted a special permit.
    Transportation of a hazardous material in a motor vehicle, 
aircraft, or vessel operated by a Federal, state, or local government 
employee solely for noncommercial Federal, state, or local government 
purposes is not subject to the HMR. Accordingly, waste generated from 
the treatment of a patient contaminated or suspected of being 
contaminated with the Ebola virus transported by a Federal, state, or 
local government employee to a disposal facility is not subject to the 
HMR. DOT, however, recommends that Federal, state, or local governments 
comply with appropriate safety requirements provided in the HMR to 
ensure the safe transportation of waste contaminated or suspected of 
being contaminated with the Ebola virus. We also recommend compliance 
with all conditions and operational controls specified in any 
applicable special permit issued for the transportation of waste 
contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus 
and our guidance referred to below. To transport materials contaminated 
or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus, a special 
permit may be necessary to allow for a variance of the HMR packaging 
requirements to handle the larger volume of contaminated waste 
generated during the treatment of Ebola patients. DOT may grant a 
special permit if the applicant can demonstrate that an alternative 
packaging will achieve a safety level that is at least equal to the 
safety level required under HMR or is consistent with the public 
interest if a required safety level does not exist. Emergency 
processing of special permits applies when the special permit is 
necessary to prevent significant injury to persons or property not 
preventable under normal

[[Page 64647]]

processing, for immediate national security, or to prevent significant 
economic loss. To qualify for emergency processing, the application 
must meet specific criteria, justifications must be well documented, 
and describe the impact if the special permit is not granted.
    PHMSA issued a non-site specific special permit (Special Permit 
DOT-SP 16279) to certain waste haulers, which authorizes the 
transportation in commerce of waste contaminated with or suspected of 
being contaminated with the Ebola virus for disposal. Other waste 
haulers not yet authorized under Special Permit DOT-SP 16279 may apply 
for party status in accordance with 49 CFR 107.107. If an entity needs 
a variance from the HMR, it must apply for a special permit as provided 
in 49 CFR part 107 subpart B.
    The DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 
has provided the following guidance on the transportation of these 
materials:
     ``DOT Guidance for Preparing Packages of Ebola 
Contaminated Waste for Transportation and Disposal'' provides guidance 
to prepare packages containing waste contaminated or suspected of being 
contaminated with the Ebola virus for transportation to off-site 
treatment and disposal. https://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/suspected_ebola_patient_packaging_guidance_final.pdf.
     ``DOT Guidance for Transporting Ebola Contaminated Items, 
a Category A Infectious Substance'' provides common FAQs regarding the 
HMR requirements for Category A infectious substances. https://phmsa.dot.gov/portal/site/PHMSA/menuitem.6f23687cf7b00b0f22e4c6962d9c8789/?vgnextoid=4d1800e36b978410VgnVCM100000d2c97898RCRD&vgnextchannel=d248724dd7d6c010VgnVCM10000080e8a8c0RCRD&vgnextfmt=print.
     ``Transporting Infectious Substances Safely'' brochure 
that explains the HMR for transporting infectious substance is 
available at: https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_54AC1BCBF0DFBE298024C4C700569893C2582700/filename/Transporting_Infectious_Substances_brochure.pdf.
     Special Permit DOT-SP 16279 provides certain carriers with 
alternative authorized packaging options for transporting waste 
contaminated or suspected of being contaminated with the Ebola virus 
for treatment and disposal. https://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/Files/DOT_SP_16279.pdf.

Additional Information

    [cir] All Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance 
regarding the Ebola virus is available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/.
    For questions on the HMR requirements, please contact the Pipeline 
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA's) Hazardous 
Materials Information Center at 1-800-467-4922, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern 
time.

Magdy El-Sibaie,
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety, Pipeline and 
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014-25778 Filed 10-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
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