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hazmat training brochure.qxp2/17/200910:52 AMPage 2Measuring Up.It’s the Law!The Federal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C.5101 et seq.) is the basic statute pertaining to the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) in the United States. Thislaw requires the training of ALL hazmat employees. The purposes are to increase a hazmat employee’s safety awareness andto be an essential element in reducing hazmat incidents. TheHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) include trainingrequirements in several sections of Title 49 Code of FederalRegulations (CFR) as follows:GENERALSPECIFICMODALAirVesselHighway§ 173.1§ 172.704§ 175.20§ 176.13§§ 177.800, 177.816Each hazmat employer must: train and test, certify; and develop and retain records of current training (inclusive ofpreceding three years) for each hazmat employee (duringthe period of employment and 90 days thereafter).Hazmat training must include: general awareness/familiarization; function-specific; safety; security awareness; In-depth security training, if a security plan is required; and driver training (for each hazmat employee who willoperate a motor vehicle).Frequency of trainingInitial training - a new employee, or an employee who changesjob functions, may perform hazmat job functions beforecompleting training, provided: the employee does so under the direct supervision of aproperly trained and knowledgeable hazmat employee; and the hazmat training is completed within 90 days ofemployment or change in job function.Recurrent training is required at least once every three years.The three-year period begins on the actual date of training.Relevant training received from a previous employer or sourcemay be used to satisfy the requirements provided a currentrecord of training is obtained from the previous employer orother sources. Training conducted by OSHA, EPA, and otherFederal or international agencies, may be used to satisfy thetraining requirements in 172.704(a) to the extent that such training addresses the training components specified inparagraph (a) of this section.Training records must include: hazmat employee’s name; completion date of most recent training; training materials (copy, description, or location); name and address of hazmat trainer; and certification that the hazmat employee has been trainedand tested.DEFINITIONSTRAINING means a systematic program (consistent approach, testing, anddocumentation) that ensures that a hazmat employee has knowledge ofhazardous materials and the HMR, and can perform assigned hazmat functionsproperly. See § 172.700 through § 172.704.HAZMAT EMPLOYER means a person who uses one or more employees inconnection with: transporting hazmat in commerce; causing hazmat to be transported or shipped in commerce; or representing, marking, certifying, selling, offering, reconditioning, testing,repairing, or modifying packagings as qualified for use in the transportationof hazmat.The term “hazmat employer” also includes any department, agency, orinstrumentality of the United States, a State, a political subdivision of a State, oran Indian tribe engaged in offering or transporting hazmat in commerce. Thisterm includes an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazardousmaterials in commerce.HAZMAT EMPLOYEE means a person who is employed by a hazmat employerand who directly affects hazmat transportation safety including: an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazmat; a person (including a self-employed person) who: loads, unloads, or handles hazmat; tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise representspackagings as qualified for use in the transportation of hazmat; prepares hazmat for transportation; is responsible for safety of transporting hazmat; or operates a vehicle used to transport hazmat.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSMay hazmat employers/employees train and test themselves(an owner-operator)?Yes. Self-training is acceptable provided that all training requirements of§ 172.704 are met.Who certifies that an instructor is qualified to train, test, and certify inaccordance with § 172.704?Except for certain FAA required 14 CFR training, the U.S. DOT does not reviewor certify training programs for pre-approval purposes. The employer mustdetermine a trainer’s qualifications based on the employer’s need.Does the trainer who teaches and tests the hazmat employeecertify that the hazmat employee is trained and tested?It is the hazmat employer’s responsibility to ensure that a hazmat employee isproperly trained and tested; however, the hazmat employer may designate anoutside source to train, test, and certify on his/her behalf that the employee hasbeen trained and tested.If a designated outside source trains but does not test theemployee, must the employee be tested to complete this training?Yes. The employee must be tested in order for the training to meet therequirements of the HMR. The hazmat employer is responsible for ensuringeach hazmat employee is trained and tested.Must the test be in a written format or may a skill demonstration be used?Any test that ensures that the employee can perform the assigned duties incompliance with the HMR is acceptable. Training and testing may beaccomplished in a variety of ways: performance, written, verbal, or acombination of these.Must the employee “pass” a test?The requirements do not state that the employee must “pass” a test; however,an employee may only be certified in areas in which he/she can successfullyperform his/her hazmat duties.Does IMDG Code, ICAO Technical Instructions, OSHA or EPAtraining fulfill the HMR requirements?This training may be used to the extent that the general awareness,function-specific, safety, and security training and testing requirements of theHMR are met. Areas not covered will require additional training.Who will enforce the training requirements in § 172.704?Enforcement is the responsibility of each U.S. DOT modal administration.Compliance or noncompliance with the training rule will be determinedduring safety and compliance reviews of shippers, carriers and package manufacturers.What type of fines would be involved?Violations of any hazardous materials regulations including training may besubject to a civil penalty of up to 50,000 for each violation. If the violationresults in death, serious illness or severe injury to any person or substantialdestruction of property, the maximum civil penalty is 100,000. Criminal violations may result in fines, imprisonment or both. (See 49 CFR §107.329 and§107.333.)An office secretary types the required hazardous materials description ona shipping paper at the direction of another, item by item. Is thesecretary a hazmat employee requiring training?Yes. Each person who performs any function subject to the HMR must betrained, except special circumstances addressed by § 172.704(e).Do the hazmat training regulations apply to foreign flag vesselscarrying hazardous materials?Yes. The regulations apply to each non-bulk domestic and foreign vessel whileoperating in the navigable waters of the United States.Do the hazmat training regulations apply to hazmat employers and/oremployees who operate a bulk vessel transporting hazardousmaterials?No. Except for transportation in bulk packagings, the bulk carriage ofhazardous materials by water is governed by 46 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter D,I, N, and O. See 49 CFR § 176.5(d).Is a ship’s master a hazmat employer?No. The ship master is a hazmat employee; the operator of the vessel is thehazmat employer.Do the hazmat training regulations apply to employees working withmaterials that are consumer commodities?Yes. Consumer commodities are listed as ORM-D in the hazardous materialstable § 171.101.Does a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with HM/tank vehicleendorsement satisfy requirements?A hazmat employer must determine applicability of CDL to the specificfunctions the employee performs and provide training for functions not coveredby the endorsement.

What You Should Know:A Guide To DevelopingA Hazardous MaterialsTraining Program

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThis guidance has been prepared based on a partnership agreement between theU.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials SafetyAdministration (PHMSA) and the Dangerous Goods Advisory Council (DGAC)with input from the Dangerous Goods Symposium for Instructors and the hazmatcommunity.

Table of ContentsPURPOSE AND SCOPE . 1HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS . 2What the Hazardous Materials Regulations Require. 2The Hazardous Materials Regulations’ Training Requirements . 2The Five Types of Training Required . 4Recordkeeping Requirements. 5Other Domestic and International Training Requirements. 5HOW TO BEGIN. 6Determine Who Your Hazmat Employees Are . 6Determine Employee Needs . 7Assess Training Options . 8Advantages and Disadvantages of Training Options. 9MONITOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TRAINING . 11HELPFUL TIPS AND TOOLS . 12Develop a Safety Culture. 12Designate a Training Coordinator . 13Implement a Planning Process. 14Implement a Consistent Process for Recordkeeping . 15Understand Training Curriculum. 16UNDERSTANDING STATUS OF TRAINING EFFORTS (CHECKLISTS) . 18Do You Have a Training Policy? . 18What Type of Training is Provided? . 19Commercial Off-site vs. Commercial Or Company Provided In-house . 20Function Specific Training Checklist . 21RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION. 22GLOSSARY. 23

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramPURPOSE AND SCOPEThe transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) underpins the American economy and our way of life.We use oil and natural gas to heat and cool homes and businesses, produce electricity, and provide rawmaterials for plastics, fibers, paints, and other essential products. We rely on chemicals to clean our water,fuel cars, construct buildings, fertilize crops, create medicines, and manufacture clothing and many otheressential commodities. However, while hazmat plays a critical role in our daily lives, the transportation ofhazmat introduces some inherent risks to the public, the environment, and property that need to beappropriately managed.This guidance document explains the training requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations,identifies those employees who must be trained, and provides a tool to help hazmat employers determinewhat type of training and training environment may be best for their employees.Hazardous materials transportation is a process that involves people performing functions related tohandling, packaging, storing, moving, loading and unloading of hazardous materials, and responding toemergency situations while such materials are in transportation. It includes employees responsible forthe safe transportation hazmat. The process also incorporates functions to design, manufacture, fabricate,inspect, mark, maintain, recondition, repair, or test a package, container or packaging component usedin transporting hazardous materials. With such a complex process, the United States Department ofTransportation (DOT) has identified human error as a contributing cause for most hazmat transportationincidents.Human error may result from a variety of factors including: Lack of knowledge leading to the mishandling of hazmatLack of knowledge leading to undeclared shipmentsLack of awareness that hazmat is presentFailure to follow established safety proceduresLack of understanding of one’s role during an incident should one occurLack of knowledge on how to respond to an incident if one occursHazmat incidents caused by human error can be reduced through the implementation of an effectivetraining program. An effective training program is a systematic method for providing training, whichincludes tests and quizzes. It may consist of materials such as handouts, overheads, videos, and exercises,as well as, interactive computer based training, tests and quizzes and, where there is an instructor, theinstructor’s notes or course outline. The training program may be a tutored or self-study course. Thetraining provider may be the hazmat employer or an independent training provider.An effective training program: Develops a strong safety cultureHeightens employee safety by helping employees protect themselvesImproves a company’s effectiveness, efficiency, and productivityIncreases employee skillsMay prevent regulatory sanctionsAids in ensuring safe and secure shipments of hazardous materialsReduces likelihood of catastrophic event such as fire aboard aircraftProvides employees with understanding of why compliance and safety are necessary1

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramHAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATORY REQUIREMENTSWHAT THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS REQUIREThe Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 100185), issued by the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline andHazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) underauthority of the Federal hazardous materials transportation law(49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), establish requirements governing thecommercial transportation of hazmat by highway, rail, vessel, andair.Under the HMR, hazardous materials are categorized by analysisand experience and assigned hazard classes and packing groupsbased upon the risks they present during transportation. The HMRspecify appropriate packaging and handling requirements forhazardous materials, and require a shipper to communicate thematerial’s hazards through use of shipping papers, package markingand labeling, and vehicle placarding. The HMR also require shippers to provide emergency responseinformation applicable to the specific hazard or hazards of the material being transported.THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS’ TRAINING REQUIREMENTSThe HMR mandate training requirements for persons who prepare hazmat for shipment or who transporthazmat in commerce. The intent of the regulations is to ensure that each hazmat employee is familiar withthe HMR, is able to recognize and identify hazardous materials, understands the specific HMRrequirements applicable to the functions he or she performs, and is knowledgeable about emergencyresponse, self-protection measures, and accident prevention methods. The regulations are performancebased to provide a baseline set of training requirements while acknowledging the need for flexibility dueto the diversity of the hazmat workforce.Training requirements are located in Subpart H of Part 172 of the HMR. The training requirements applyto hazmat employers and hazmat employees as defined in §171.8.The HMR require all hazmat employees to be trained including hazmat employers with direct supervisionof hazmat transportation functions.2

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramHazmat employer and hazmat employee are defined as follows:HAZMAT EMPLOYER means a person who uses one or more employees in connection with: transporting hazmat in commerce;causing hazmat to be transported or shipped in commerce; orrepresenting, marking, certifying, selling, offering, reconditioning, testing,repairing, or modifying packagings as qualified for use in the transportationof hazmat.The term “hazmat employer” also includes any department, agency, or instrumentality ofthe United States, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an Indian tribe engaged inoffering or transporting hazmat in commerce. This term includes an owner-operator of amotor vehicle which transports hazardous materials in commerce.HAZMAT EMPLOYEE means a person who is employed by a hazmat employer and whodirectly affects hazmat transportation safety including: an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazmat;a person (including a self-employed person) who: loads, unloads, or handles hazmat; tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise representspackagings as qualified for use in the transportation of hazmat; prepares hazmat for transportation; is responsible for safety of transporting hazmat; or operates a vehicle used to transport hazmat.Note: See the Glossary or 49 CFR §171.8 for complete definitions.Training must be completed within 90 days of the first day of employment or the first day of a change injob function. Until training is completed, a hazmat employee must be directly supervised by a person whohas been trained. Further, each hazmat employee must be provided with recurrent training at least onceevery three years. Each hazmat employee must be tested upon completion of training. Training may beprovided directly by the hazmat employer or by other public or private sources. Regardless of whoprovides the training, the hazmat employer is responsible for ensuring that appropriate testing occurs andthat the training is effective, appropriate, and successful in achieving the intended objectives of providingemployees with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their job functions safely.3

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramTHE FIVE TYPES OF TRAINING REQUIREDGENERAL AWARENESS/FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING: Training that provides familiarity with thegeneral requirements of the HMR and enables the hazmat employee to recognize and identifyhazardous materials. All hazmat employees must receive general awareness training.FUNCTION-SPECIFIC TRAINING: Training that provides a detailed understanding of HMR requirementsapplicable to the function(s) performed by the hazmat employee. Each hazmat employee must be trainedon the specific functions they are required to perform.SAFETY TRAINING: Training that covers the hazards presented by hazardous materials, safe handling,emergency response information, and methods and procedures for accident avoidance. All hazmatemployees must receive this training.SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING: Training that provides a general understanding of the security risksassociated with hazardous materials transportation and the methods designed to enhance transportationsecurity. This training should include methods on how to recognize and respond to possible securitythreats. All hazmat employees must receive this training.IN-DEPTH SECURITY TRAINING: Training that provides a detailed understanding of a company’s securityplan including company security objectives, specific security procedures, employee responsibilities,actions to take in the event of a security breach and the organizational security structure. This trainingmust be provided to hazmat employees who handle or perform regulated functions related to thetransportation of the materials covered by the security plan or who are responsible for implementing thesecurity plan.4

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramRECORDKEEPING REQUIREMENTSThe hazmat employer is responsible for maintaining training records for each hazmat employee. Theserecords must be kept for the duration of the three-year training cycle while the hazmat employee isemployed and for 90 days after the employee leaves employment. Training records must be madeavailable by the employer for audit and review by regulatory authorities upon request.Training records must include the following: The hazmat employee’s name The most recent training completion date A description of, copy of, or reference to training materialsused to meet the training requirements The name and address of the person providing the training A certification that the person has been trained andtested as requiredCertification that the hazmat employee has been trained and tested shall be made by the hazmatemployer or a designated representative. An example training record can be found in the “Helpful Tipsand Tools” section.OTHER DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTSEmployers should be aware that the HMR recognizes that other domestic and international agenciesand organizations also have training requirements. For example, the Federal Aviation Administrationprescribes training requirements for air carriers in the 14 CFR. Additionally, the International MaritimeDangerous Goods Code for vessel shipments; Transport Canada TDG Regulations; and the InternationalCivil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions for air shipments also prescribe specific trainingrequirements which are important because the HMR authorizes compliance with these regulations.Therefore, depending on a company’s operations, other training requirements in addition to the HMRmay apply.Relevant agencies and organizations may include: United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) United States Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) United States Coast Guard (USCG) United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Transport Canada TDG regulations (TDG) International Maritime Organization (IMO) International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)5

What You Should Know: A Guide to Developing a Hazardous Materials Training ProgramHOW TO BEGINDETERMINE WHO YOUR HAZMAT EMPLOYEES ARESafe transportation of hazardous materials depends on proper preparation of the material for shipmentand safe handling of the material while it is being transported. Each hazmat employee must be aware ofthe hazards of such materials, their potential for causing incidents and accidents, and how they should besafely prepared and transported.To this end, the HMR require all hazmat employees to be trained, including those with hazmatresponsibilities including pre-transportation functions (See Glossary or 49 CFR §171.8) and thosewho supervise hazmat employees. For example, a hazmat employee may be a person (including a selfemployed person or an owner-operator of a motor vehicle) who:6 Determines the hazard class of a hazardous material Selects a hazardous materials packaging Places warning signs, blocks wheels, and sets brakes on tank cars placed for loading orunloading with closures open Fills or loads a hazardous materials packaging Secures a closure on a filled hazardous materials package or container Marks a package to indicate that it contains a hazardous material Labels a package to indicate that it contains a hazardous material Prepares a hazardous materials shipping paper Provides and maintains hazardous materials emergency response information Reviews a hazardous materials shipping paper to verify compliance with the HMR orinternational equivalents For per

Hazmat training must include: general awareness/familiarization; function-specific; safety; security awareness; In-depth security training, if a security plan is required; and driver training (for each hazmat employee who will operate a motor vehicle). Frequency of training