The purpose of this section is to authorize the one time movement of certain non-conforming containers by rail where the non-conformance is relatively minor in nature or where measures have been taken to reduce the overall safety risks.
In all cases, the movement must be for the purposes of cleaning, testing, repairing, dismantling or unloading containers that are not actively leaking and only when it is not possible or unsafe to remedy the non-conformance at the location where it was discovered. Railway vehicles must be in conformance prior to the discovery of a non-conformity.
OTMA 1 - Temporary certificates
Temporary certificates are required for the one-time movement of non-conforming containers that do not meet all the safety requirements for transporting dangerous goods. The one-time movement must be necessary to reduce the overall safety risk associated to the non-conforming container to a minimum level. Temporary certificates will generally not be issued for containers that are actively leaking.
Find out more information on how to apply for a temporary certificate.
OTMA 2 - Written notifications
Written notifications are required for the one-time movement of overloaded railway vehicles by weight. Applicants may apply for a written notification if:
- a tank car is found to be overloaded by weight in transport by 1361 kg (3000 lbs) or less when measured on a weight-in-motion scale or 454 kg (1000 lbs) or less when measured on a static scale as long as the outage is within regulatory limits; or
- a railway vehicle other than a tank car carrying solid dangerous goods is found to be overloaded by weight in transport by 2268 kg (5000 lbs) or less when measured by a scale
Applicants must submit the following information to Transport Canada to obtain written notifications:
- Scale tickets
- Loading temperature and specific gravity of commodity at the loading temperature
- Specific gravity of commodity at appropriate reference temperature
- Capacity and tare weight of the container
- Innage / outage table for the tank car
- Any additional information that can be used to demonstrate that the tank car is not overloaded by volume
Application details must be submitted to MOCregister-Registrecontenant@tc.gc.ca using the following form.
Application form – One time movement approval of non-conforming containers written notifications
OTMA 3 - Low safety risk approvals
Non-conforming tank cars and hopper cars in one of the situations described in Part 11 of the safety standard TP 14877 may be transported for the purposes of cleaning, repairing, testing, dismantling or unloading and only when it is not possible or unsafe to remedy the situation at the location where it was discovered.