United States Department Of Transportation (Essay Sample)

United States Department of Transportation: Roles and Responsibilities
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Introduction
United States Department of Transportation is a state department whose mission is to facilitate secure, fast, efficient, convenient, and accessible system of transportation that meets the country’s vital transportation interests. The department is also mandated to improve the quality of life of the American population in the present and also in the future. The department is one among the cabinet-level departments in the U.S government. During its inception, the department was expected to develop and coordinate policy mechanisms that will offer an effective and economically feasible national transportation system with special emphasis for the need, the environment, as well as the national defense interests. The department is the primary state agency that has been conferred the responsibility of developing and implementing policies and programs that protect and safeguard adequacy, safety, and effectiveness of the national transportation services and systems.
History
The Department of Transportation was formed through an act of Congress in 1966, with its inaugural official day of operations taking place on April 1, 1967. Since its inception in the United States, the national government grappled with its fundamental role in developing a national transportation system, infrastructure, and policies. On many occasions, the results had been utter confusion and needless complexities in decision making, leading to an overabundance of aid to some sectors of transportation with inadequate support systems for other transport sectors (Leon & Savage 2006). In order to enhance the sustenance of the struggling new states, and fulfill the urgent need for a simple, rapid, and easily accessible transportation system, the transport oversight authority recommended that the federal government needs to subsidize several internal improvements such as the National Board. The idea of a national Department of Transportation was mooted at this juncture. The government made a decision to enact legislation that would help in state regulation of the transportation system at the cabinet level. However, the law that established the formation of such a cabinet-level Transportation Department did not receive a cabinet approval until after ninety-two years. When the legislation eventually received cabinet approval in 1966, some legislators termed it as the most crucial transport legislation that the U.S has ever developed. Experts in public transport sectors hailed the legislation as a crucial step in the country’s management of transport infrastructure, systems, and policies. Before the formation of the Department of Transportation, the Army Corps and the Coast Guard were the major departments that had helped the country to foster transportation and trade (Miller 2005).
Fire Protection: Airplane Category
The advisory Circular issued by USDOT presents subtle guidelines that demonstrate the expected compliance with among others, the transport category aviation certification requirements. The circular also outlines the guidelines for the protection of flammable fluid fire as well as fire protection systems. When it comes to the electrical wiring interconnection systems, the USDOT guidelines state that the electrical wiring interconnection is any wire, wiring component, or a combination of these, that has been installed in an area for the purposes of transmitting electrical energy. The guidelines stipulate that all electrical components that have been installed in engine pod attachment structures, especially in airplanes should be installed in sufficient distances from the firewalls so that the electrical components cannot suffer any form of damage that could be hazardous to the aircraft. Furthermore, the guidelines stipulate that all electrical components must be installed properly so that in cases of failure, toxic substances such as smoke cannot find their way into crew or passenger compartments. Another important guideline aimed at fire protection in the aviation sector states that any electrical apparatus that may get into contact with flammable fumes should be installed in such a way that there is minimum risk of the fumes exploding under both fault or normal conditions (Dilger 2008).
On fire protection for oxygen equipments, the USDOT guidelines stipulate that all high pressure oxygen shut-off valves must be properly designed so as to offer effective slow closing and opening mechanisms that avoid the risk of explosion or fire outbreak. Essentially, all oxygen recharging systems must be accompanied by a means to avoid excessive charging rates that can precipitate the occurrence of very high temperatures within the oxygen system. In scenarios where in-situ charging components are offered, the compartments within which they are installed must be designed in such a way that they can are easily accessible from the outside of the airplane (U.S Department of Transportation 2007). Additionally, the compartments should be located in substantial distances from other critical service points and equipments. Thus, placards must be located in adjacent points to the service points with sufficient instructions that stipulate the precautions that must be observed whenever the system is being charged. In general, the guidelines stipulate the following safety precautions for the oxygen system:
The oxygen system must be fitted in such a way that pipelines and components are sufficiently distanced from the fluid and electrical systems.
The system should be installed in such a way that the components are clearly separated from all moving controls and other mechanisms.
All oxygen components must be adequately protected from lubricants, and they must be protected against any effects of vibration.
On the protection of flammable fluid fire, the USDOT guidelines stipulate the following fire protection guidelines:
In all sections where vapors or flammable fluids are likely to escape through leakages in the fluid system, the airplane must be provided with a mechanism of minimizing the risk of the escaping vapors and fluids escaping. In ensuring compliance with this guideline, the management must consider the possible paths and sources of vapor and fluid leakage as well as means of detecting the leakages. It is also important to consider the different flammability tendencies of the fluids, including the effects of any absorbing or combustible materials.
In cases where action by the crew is necessary to avoid or counteract a fluid fire (for example the actuation of fire extinguishers or possible equipment shutdown) fast response mechanisms must be provided for alerting the crew members.
All sections through which vapors or flammable fluids are likely to escape must be identified and clearly defined.
Classification System
It is plausible that USDOT places a lot of emphasis on the safety of flammable materials during their commercial transportation. As a result, the department has categorized such materials into hazardous and non-hazardous materials, and developed guidelines that should be observed when any hazardous materials are on transit on American roads. The department terms a hazardous material as a material or substance that has the potential to pose an unreasonable risk to safety, health, and property whenever such material is transported for commercial purposes (U.S Department of Transportation 2013). The regulations that govern the transportation of hazardous materials are applicable to the transport of such materials whether the commercial transportation takes place interstate, intrastate or through foreign carriers such as aircrafts, sea vessels, and rail cars. The aim by the department to regulate the transportation of such materials has made the department develop an Emergency Response Guidebook that categorizes hazardous materials into several classes as outlined below:
Explosives
The department defines explosives as any chemical compound, mixture or device whose primary purpose is to work by means of an explosion. The department outlines three classes of explosives in terms of their mode of action. In this regard, the department categorizes explosives into Class A, Class B, and Class C. The classes are named in terms of the extent of the impact with Class A comprising of explosives that pose maximum damage upon explosion.
Gases
The department defines gases as any compressed gas that fulfills the requirements for flammable range, flame projection, and flame propagation as stipulate in the DOT guidelines. Some examples of flammable gases are hydrogen, acetylene, and liquefied petroleum ...