Effective at the end of the month, the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) has increased the maximum civil penalty from $27,500 to $32,500
for a knowing violation of federal hazardous materials transportation law or a regulation issued under the law.
The minimum penalty has been increased from $250 to $275.
RSPA says it will also look back six calendar years instead of five for prior violations in determining the amount of a penalty.
The agency published a list of revised baseline assessments for frequently cited violations.
These include:
-- Failure to register for offering or carrying hazardous materials, $1,000 + $500 each additional registration fee;
-- Failure to provide initial training to hazmat employees, $250-$700 and up depending on the number of employees;
--Failure to provide in-depth security training when a security plan is required, $2,500;
-- Failure to create and maintain training records, $500-$800 and up;
-- Failure to develop a security plan, $6,000 and up;
-- Failure to put security plan in writing, $2,000 and up;
-- Offering a hazardous material for transportation without shipping papers, markings, labels or placards, $15,000 and up;
-- Failure to properly placard a freight container or vehicle containing hazardous materials, $1,000 - $9,000;
-- Failure to give immediate notification of a reportable hazardous materials incident, $3,000;
--Failure to file a written haz-mat incident report within 30 days following an unintentional release in transportation, $500-$2,500;
-- Failure to retain shipping papers as required by regulation, $1,000;
-- Transporting hazmat packages that haven’t been secured against movement, $3,000;
-- Failure to properly segregate hazardous materials, $7,500 and up.

The complete list, plus other administrative changes was published in Monday’s Federal Register, which can be accessed at www.gpoaccess.gov.