Report confirms findings on PHMSA's lack of safety oversight

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has lacked safety oversight on transportation of explosives for a number of years, a new report from the Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General concludes.

The management advisory report (.pdf file), released April 8, identified a number of serious problems and significant management weaknesses. Among them:

• Lack of an effective evaluation process for reviewing and authorizing explosive classification approvals according to the Hazardous Materials Regulations
• Ineffective oversight of the four laboratories authorized by PHMSA to examine and test explosives

Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said the findings confirm a 2009 audit that revealed incomplete reports over a nine-year period, with some lacking monetary damage estimates or incident and fatality counts, among other issues. According to a press release, the committee will host an April 22 hearing on PHMSA's oversight procedures.