More than 250 individuals involved in the regulation, enforcement and safety of hazardous materials/dangerous goods transportation attended the Cooperative Hazardous Materials Enforcement Development (COHMED) Conference, Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas.
Hosted by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), the COHMED Conference is an annual five-day event providing specialized technical training and instruction to individuals representing organizations and agencies responsible for regulating and enforcing the safe transportation of hazardous materials and dangerous goods, along with industry stakeholders.
Hazardous materials specialists, law enforcement personnel, trucking companies and associations, interest groups and private industry attended the COHMED Conference to receive proactive and progressive training on highly specialized issues; discuss and address concerns related to hazardous materials/dangerous goods regulations and enforcement; share perspectives; and provide input into future changes and regulations.
Attendees at the conference received regulatory updates from Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
The 2019 COHMED Conference also featured informative and collaborative sessions on some of the most important topics related to the hazmat community, such as:
- Hazardous Waste Inspections and Common Violations
- Division 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 Gases
- Cargo Tank Facility Reviews
- Transportation of Anhydrous Ammonia in Nurse Tanks
- Cargo Tank Inspections
- Hazardous Materials in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations
- PHMSA Special Permits and Interpretations
- CVSA Out-of-Service Criteria and Hazardous Materials Out-of-Service Violations
- Chemistry, Risk and Safe Transportation of Toxic Materials
- Agricultural Operations and Materials of Trade
- inspecting Radioactive Materials
- Hazardous Materials Shipments Crossing Borders in North America (Canada, U.S. and Mexico)
During the general session, COHMED Chair Phillip Haskins, hazardous materials investigator specialist II, with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, presented the Industry Appreciation Award to Tony Parente with Praxair. In addition, each year, the chair has the distinct honor of selecting an individual who exemplifies excellence in hazardous materials transportation safety to receive the Chairman’s Award. This year, Haskins selected Allan Melton with Schlumberger to receive the Chairman’s Award. Also, COHMED leadership industry liaisons, Brian Kucharski with US Ecology and Dave Edmondson with J&M Tank Lines, presented Reggie Bunner, of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, with the Law Enforcement Appreciation Award.
In addition to this conference, CVSA also offers regional training courses throughout the country – giving hazardous materials specialists who were unable to attend the COHMED Conference an opportunity to receive high-level hazmat training, closer to home. Check out dates and locations for upcoming COHMED training courses.
Next year’s COHMED Conference is scheduled for Jan. 27-31, 2020, in Louisville, Kentucky.