David A. Kolman, editor, Fleet Maintenance

Kolman’s Korner: How well do you know FMCSA regulations?

Dec. 14, 2015
Take this one-question test and find out.

For a number of years, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an annual ranking of the top 20 cargo tank facility violations.

Before reading any further, make a list of what you think those violations were for last year. Then, see how many you were able to name.

FMCSA’s 2014 ranking:

- Failure to include all required information on test/inspection reports.

- Failure to perform a pressure retest as prescribed.

- Failure to keep training records for 90 days after termination.

- Failure to retrain hazmat employees every three years.

- Failure to perform an external visual inspection as prescribed.

- Failure to train hazmat employees in function-specific training.

- Representing a package as meeting an exemption when it does not.

- Failure to instruct employees in hazmat regulations.

- Failure to maintain a current copy of registration information.

- Failure to permanently mark the nurse tank with a unique owner's identification number after passing the visual, thickness and pressure tests.

- Failure to train hazmat employees as required.

- Failure to maintain a copy of the nurse tank test inspection report prepared by the inspector.

- Failure to include all required information in the registration statement.

- Cargo tank does not comply with hazmat regulations.

- Failure to notify within 30 days of changes to regulation information.

- Failure to conduct and record monthly inspections and test.

- Failure to perform an internal visual inspection.

- Failure to inspect and record a delivery hose/piping inspection.

- Failure to perform wet fluorescent magnetic particle testing on MC 330/331 cargo tanks.

- Failure to mark the test date on cargo tank.

FMCSA’s annual rankings of the top 20 cargo tank facility violations since 2007 can be found here.

About the Author

David A. Kolman | Contributor - Fleet Maintenance

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