PHMSA and UL Lock Arms on Hazmat Safety

Federal regulators and independent safety scientists join forces to shape the future of hazardous materials transport in the US

2 Apr 2026

Hauling hazardous materials across American highways has never been a simple logistical exercise. Now, the federal agency responsible for keeping that process safe is pulling independent scientists into the room where policy gets made.

The US Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has formally invited UL Research Institutes to participate in the 2026 Hazardous Materials Research, Development, and Technology Forum. Announced in the Federal Register on March 12, the three-day event runs March 31 through April 2 in the Washington, DC area, drawing together regulators, researchers, and private-sector operators to collectively steer the future of hazmat transport safety.

UL Research Institutes' Electrochemical Safety Research Institute will play a central role. Judy Jeevarajan, the institute's vice president and executive director, is scheduled to deliver two presentations on opening day covering battery safety research and a packaging project overview. The institute will also run an exhibit booth showcasing active research in battery safety and next-generation energy storage technologies.

That focus is timely. Battery-powered freight is moving across US roads in growing volumes, and PHMSA is simultaneously advancing rulemaking on automated hazmat transport. The forum's core research themes reflect both pressures: risk reduction for emergency responders, safe energy storage, and innovative packaging for hazardous cargo. These aren't abstract priorities. They're direct responses to an industry in rapid transition.

PHMSA has built the forum around three stated pillars: innovation, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement. By embedding independent research expertise into its policy development cycle, the agency is constructing a feedback loop that moves technical findings from the lab toward enforceable safety standards. For operators managing classification, packaging, and transport of hazardous materials, the forum's outputs are expected to shape upcoming regulatory guidance and future amendments to the Hazardous Materials Regulations.

The arrangement reflects something broader happening across federal safety regulation. Independent science is no longer an outside voice. It's becoming a structural part of how agencies write the rules.