Transport Canada has issued an EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE for the certain Bell helicopters. This EAD is marked urgent.

Please see this PDF provided by Transport Canada for more information.

On June 28, 2010, Transport Canada issued an Advisory Notice about hot air balloons. This notice addresses two (2) issues with the Regulations:

1. an exemption
2. cylinder compliance

1. Exemption: Section 1.27 Operation of a Means of Transport or a Means of Containment Exemption of the TDG Regulations does provide an exemption for propane cylinders. The catch is that the hot air balloon must be flight-ready and the cylinders are attached to the hot air balloon. Once the cylinders are removed from the hot air balloon for refill or the hot air balloon is not flight ready, such as when transporting the hot air balloon in a trailer, the exemption no longer applies.

2. Cylinder compliance: in TDG, Section 5.10 Means of Containment for Class 2, Gases requires the selection and use of cylinders in accordance with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard B340. In addition, the manufacture of the means of containment (cylinder) must be done in accordance with CSA B339.

CSA B340 Selection and Use of Cylinders, Spheres, Tubes, and Other Containers for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Class 2:  this standard covers the safety requirements for selecting and using cylinders for the transportation of dangerous goods in Class 2. It also covers the requirements for filling and handling of cylinders for Class 2 dangerous goods.

CSA B339 Cylinders, Spheres, and Tubes for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods: this standard outlines the requirements for manufacturing, inspecting, testing, and marking of means of containment for Class 2 Gases, dangerous goods.

Please keep in mind that in TDG, Section 5.10 Means of containment for Class 2, Gases, that clauses 4.1.1.1, 5.1.3(a)(ii) and 5.1.4(a) of CSA B340 do not apply. In other words, equivalent means of containment are not permitted, the means of contaiment must meet CSA B340.

For more information see Transport Canada’s website.

Transport Canada has posted an alert on their website that deals with US carriers transporting dangerous goods into Canada.

Section 6.4(1) of the TDG Regulations states that a carrier from the US must have a hazmat endorsement on their commercial driver’s licence and that this endorsement must reference sections 172.700 to 172.704 of 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations). As the hazmat endorsement is state generated, not federal (DOT), not all endorsements make reference to those sections of 49CFR.

However, Transport Canada has an agreement with the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) that Transport Canada will recognize the hazmat endorsement on the CDL.

For more information, please go to: http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/publications-alerts-endorsements-1092.htm

Transport Canada has posted on its website a proposed interim order for the period of the G20 meetings in Toronto. Dangerous goods that require an ERAP, are in Classes 1.1, 1.2, 1.5 or are in Class 7, other than medical isotopes (UN2915), are prohibited from the controlled access zone. Also included in this are dangerous goods that require the display of placards. However, these dangerous goods are permitted between midnight and 06:00.

The controlled access zone is the area in the City of Toronto that is bounded by Strachan Ave from Queen St West to Lake Ontario, Queen St West from Strachan Ave to Bathurst Street, Bathurst Street from Queen St West to Dundas St West, Dundas Street West/Dundas Street East from Bathurst Street to Jarvis Street, Jarvis Street from Dundas St East to Lake Ontario. You can also view this area on a map.

This interim order is expected to be signed by the Minister on June 21 and will expire June 28 at 06:00.

To view the interim order, please go to:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/tdg/g20-controlledaccesszones-1090.htm

To comment on this interim order or to make a case for a business critical exemption, please contact, by close of business on June 4:

Linda Hume-Sastre
Director, Legislation and Regulations
Transport Dangerous Goods Directorate (ASDC)
Transport Canada

By one of the following options:
Email: linda.hume-sastre@tc.gc.ca
Fax: 613-993-5925
Surface mail: Place de Ville, Tower C, 330 Sparks Street 9th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0N5

Transport Canada has posted on its website Amendment T – Provisions for Orphan Releases. This is a proposed regulation and has NOT been published in the Canada Gazette.

Amendment T outlines the compensation for implementing an ERAP at the request of the Minister. There are 4 sections that will be added:

• 7.10 Compensation for Authorization to Implement an Approved Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP)
• 7.10.1 Compensation Limits
• 7.10.2 Claims for Compensation
• 7.11 Emergency Response Assistance Plan for Emergency Response Contractors

Section 7.10 outlines what expenses will be covered, such as:

• death, disability or injury to the plan holder or its employees
• overhead costs for the plan response
• cost of employees or contractors
• use of tools, vehicles, hoses, pumps, generators, etc.
• travel expenses – meals, accommodation, fuel, flights, etc.
• rental fees
• repair costs for equipment damaged during the response
• cost of defending any legal action

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