The railroad industry formed the Bureau of Explosives (BOE) in 1907 as a self-policing agency to advance the safe transportation of explosives and other dangerous articles. The BOE developed the first hazmat safety rules, which the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) later expanded upon. Today, the BOE remains dedicated to helping carriers, shippers and container manufacturers continually improve hazardous materials transportation safety.
Important Note: The Association of American Railroads BOE Hazmat Seminar has been suspended until further notice. We are looking for new and innovative ways to present updates, share information and create opportunities for networking and would appreciate your input.
Sharing a fundamental commitment to the safety of the communities they serve, railroads work closely with first responders to ensure they are prepared for rare rail incidents. With extensive training programs, collaborations with government partners, and the development of the AskRail app, railroads ensure that emergency responders have the necessary resources and information to handle hazmat incidents effectively.
Below are links to Class I railroad and industry resources for first responder training, regulatory information and more.
FRA manages a safety program for hazardous materials in the national rail system, including international shipments to and from the US. This includes energy products, chemicals, hazardous wastes, and radioactive materials. FRA also monitors packages labeled to meet federal or international hazardous materials standards, regardless of their contents.
In partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs, freight railroads created the free AskRail app, which provides first responders with timely data about what type of hazmat a railcar is carrying so they can make an informed decision about how to respond to a rail emergency safely. More than 2.3 million first responders nationwide have access to AskRail thanks to railroads’ partnerships with CHEMTREC, CANUTEC and Emergency Call Centers.
A division of MxV Rail, the world’s premier rail advisory, SERTC (Security & Emergency Response Training Center) is a globally recognized program that connects transportation experts and first responders in a one-of-a-kind training experience at hazmat technician level and above. Since 1985, SERTC has trained more than 76,000 first responders, emergency managers, community leaders, and other emergency-related personnel. Students benefit from nearly four decades of advanced response training experience in prevention, containment, and mitigation of surface transportation incidents.
TRANSCAER® (Transportation Community Awareness Emergency Response) is an outreach program covering North America. Since 1986, the organization has focused on assisting communities and training emergency responders to prepare for and respond to hazmat transportation incidents. The TRANSCAER program is led by industry professionals and supported by partner agencies who are critical to the success of its mission.
AAR has released the 2024 pricing and order process for access to the Hazardous Materials Shipping Descriptions Data Base (HMSDDB) and the Emergency Response Data Base (ERDB).
Tariff No. BOE-6000 is a comprehensive compilation of hazardous materials regulations from the US Department of Transportation, providing up-to-date guidance crucial for compliance. Unlike the annual publication of the US Code of Federal Regulations, AAR ensures quarterly updates and issuances of Tariff No. BOE-6000, available in print as a complete book or through regularly updated supplements.
Additionally, electronic versions incorporate both US regulations and Transport Canada’s Dangerous Goods Regulations. Key features include highlighted changes in regulatory text, hazmat user charts, a detailed list of quarterly regulatory changes, and a UN/NA cross-reference guide.
Each part or subpart is prefaced with a publisher’s note summarizing its contents in plain language. Enhanced features include additional codes in the Hazardous Materials Table, restrictions on hazmat acceptance and transportation by rail, recommended placard placement, and safe loading and unloading methods for tank cars, ensuring comprehensive and accessible regulatory compliance guidance.
