President
William Duff
Toyota Motor Sales

First Vice President
Robert Heinrich
Novartis Pharmaceuticals

Second Vice President/Treasurer
Christopher Palabrica, CPM, CHMM
Mays Chemical Co.

Secretary
Jeanne Zmich
Labelmaster

Executive Committee Member
Richard Lattimer
Eli Lilly and Company

Board of Directors
Donald Bossow
JohnsonDiversey, Inc.

Larry Cross
UPS Freight

John D'Aloia
Mary Kay Inc.

Steven Dishion
Procter & Gamble

David Evans
Purolator Courier Ltd.

Amy Fischesser
Sun Chemical Corporation

Janet Kolodziey-Nykolyn
Roche

Claudia Meeks
Ford Motor Company

General Counsel
Richard Schweitzer, PLLC

The Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA) President, Bill Duff, Corp Mgr Environmental Coordination Office, Toyota Motor Sales is pleased to report that “we have signed a partnership agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).”  DOT/PHMSA is the Federal agency responsible for promulgating a national safety program that will minimize the risks to life and property inherent in commercial transportation of hazardous materials. COSTHA and DOT will work together to Enhance the Image of the HazMat Professional.

In discussing the partnership, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrator Thomas Barrett stated,  “We all know regulation alone is not enough to fulfill our safety mission. So we rely on partners like COSTHA to help protect the public and the environment. The partnership we are entering will develop and introduce practical safety solutions that work for the public interest and the regulated industry.”

The project is chaired by Jeanne Zmich, Vice President, Labelmaster and Co-Chair COSTHA Education and Training Committee and Executive Committee member.

Thomas Barrett Administrator US DOT PHMSA signs the Enhancing the Image of the HazMat Professional COSTHA/DOT Partnership Agreement while (L to R) Robert Richard, PhD, Deputy Associate Administrator, US DOT PHMSA, Jeanne Zmich, Vice President, Labelmaster, Lara M. Currie, COSTHA Administrator, Robert McGuire, Ph.D. Associate Administrator, US DOT PHMSA  and Candace Simon, Sr Training Officer, US DOT PHMSA look on.

COSTHA has recognized a significant problem with regard to career development of hazardous materials management professionals over the past several years. Recent trends throughout the business community have seen senior level management professionals experiencing accelerated retirement packages designed to meet budgetary restraints in a highly competitive economic environment. The hazardous materials regulatory compliance management function is often targeted as a function which is not perceived as contributing directly to revenue generation and profitability of a company. COSTHA has witnessed numerous examples of this trend where senior level hazmat managers have been retired and replaced by either entry level employees or employees already employed in a discipline with some similarity to the hazardous materials management function. Often these environmental, health or safety managers have a full workload without inclusion of the hazmat manager’s function and therefore have limited resources to devote to expanded responsibilities. Since it is often difficult, if not impossible to document the productivity of the function and to exhibit tangible value to the position, promotional opportunities may be limited within some corporations. Coupled with increased complexity of the transportation regulations, criminal and civil liability incurred as a result of errors or omissions, and lack of “top down” recognition of the position to provide a career ladder, qualified management candidates are not attracted to a career path that focuses on hazardous materials transportation.

COSTHA Administrator and Technical Consultant John Currie noted, “This problem is becoming international in scope. At the 29^th Session of the UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the Netherlands submitted (ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/2006/38) their concern regarding a decline in the experts on the transport of dangerous goods regulations, not only on the side of government but also on the side of industry. Furthermore, it is getting more and more difficult to find new persons who are interested in spending many years becoming an expert."

The mission of the partnership is to enhance recognition within companies, the industry, and the general public, for those involved in hazardous materials and to ensure the safe and secure transportation of hazardous materials. COSTHA and DOT/PHMSA will develop a strategic approach for enhancing the “value added and key-role” image of the hazardous material employee, with a goal to elevate the role within the industry.

A task force for each of the partnerships has been formed. Members who are interested in participating or obtaining more information should contact the COSTHA office, 703.451.4031 or by email mail@costha.com.

COSTHA is a not-for-profit industry association devoted to promoting regulatory compliance and safety in the international and domestic transportation of hazardous materials.  COSTHA represents shippers, carriers, container manufacturers, training companies, and related businesses and associations responsible for than $1.6 trillion in international commerce.  These entities are involved in all aspects of hazmat commerce, including transportation of hazardous materials, hazardous substances, marine pollutants, and hazardous wastes on  a global basis.

For more information on COSTHA and its initiatives, call 703.451.4031 or visit our web site www.costha.com. 

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