[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 2]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR171.15]

[Page 111-112]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 
                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 171_GENERAL INFORMATION, REGULATIONS, AND DEFINITIONS--Table of 
Contents
 
     Subpart B_Incident Reporting, Notification, BOE Approvals and 
                              Authorization
 
Sec.  171.15  Immediate notice of certain hazardous materials incidents.


    (a) General. As soon as practical but no later than 12 hours after 
the occurrence of any incident described in paragraph (b) of this 
section, each person in physical possession of the hazardous material 
must provide notice by telephone to the National Response Center (NRC) 
on 800-424-8802 (toll free) or 202-267-2675 (toll call). Notice 
involving an infectious substance (etiologic agent) may be given to the 
Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Public Health 
Service, Atlanta, GA, 800-232-0124 (toll free), in place of notice to 
the NRC. Each notice must include the following information:
    (1) Name of reporter;
    (2) Name and address of person represented by reporter;
    (3) Phone number where reporter can be contacted;
    (4) Date, time, and location of incident;
    (5) The extent of injury, if any;
    (6) Class or division, proper shipping name, and quantity of 
hazardous materials involved, if such information is available; and
    (7) Type of incident and nature of hazardous material involvement 
and whether a continuing danger to life exists at the scene.
    (b) Reportable incident. A telephone report is required whenever any 
of the following occurs during the course of transportation in commerce 
(including loading, unloading, and temporary storage):
    (1) As a direct result of a hazardous material--
    (i) A person is killed;
    (ii) A person receives an injury requiring admittance to a hospital;
    (iii) The general public is evacuated for one hour or more;
    (iv) A major transportation artery or facility is closed or shut 
down for one hour or more; or
    (v) The operational flight pattern or routine of an aircraft is 
altered;

[[Page 112]]

    (2) Fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected radioactive contamination 
occurs involving a radioactive material (see also Sec.  176.48 of this 
subchapter);
    (3) Fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected contamination occurs 
involving an infectious substance other than a regulated medical waste;
    (4) A release of a marine pollutant occurs in a quantity exceeding 
450 L (119 gallons) for a liquid or 400 kg (882 pounds) for a solid; or
    (5) A situation exists of such a nature (e.g., a continuing danger 
to life exists at the scene of the incident) that, in the judgment of 
the person in possession of the hazardous material, it should be 
reported to the NRC even though it does not meet the criteria of 
paragraph (b) (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this section.
    (c) Written report. Each person making a report under this section 
must also make the report required by Sec.  171.16 of this subpart.

    Note to Sec.  171.15: Under 40 CFR 302.6, EPA requires persons in 
charge of facilities (including transport vehicles, vessels, and 
aircraft) to report any release of a hazardous substance in a quantity 
equal to or greater than its reportable quantity, as soon as that person 
has knowledge of the release, to DOT's National Response Center at (toll 
free) 800-424-8802 or (toll) 202-267-2675.

[68 FR 67759, Dec. 3, 2003, as amended at 72 FR 55684, Oct. 1, 2007]