What is hazmat training

We rely on chemicals to clean our water, fuel cars, construct buildings, fertilize crops, create medicines, and manufacture clothing and many other essential commodities. However, while hazmat plays a critical role in our daily lives, the transportation of hazmat introduces some inherent risks to the public, the environment, and property that need to be appropriately managed.

Hazardous materials transportation involves performing functions related to the handling, packaging, storing, moving, loading, and unloading of hazardous materials, and responding to emergency situations when such materials are in transportation.

Under the HMR, hazardous materials are categorized by analysis and experience and assigned hazard classes and packing groups based upon the risks they present during transportation. The HMR also require shippers to provide emergency response information applicable to the specific hazard or hazards of the material being transported. I will be coming back in three years! The Lion instructor made sense, kept me awake and made me laugh! When it comes to hazardous waste compliance, many of the most commonly cited management mistakes are easy to identify and correct.

Download this guide to see 25 of the most-cited errors in RCRA training, recordkeeping, waste ID, container management, universal waste, and more. By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Current and Privacy Policy. Lion News April No, it doesn't.

Safety training is one area where OSHA provides helpful details about what training should include. Lion offers easy-to-use online hazmat training for personnel who package, mark, label, load, unload, and handle hazardous materials ground, air, and vessel shipments.

At Lion Technology hazmat training seminars , we often discuss how only some hazmat employees need DOT safety training. Choosing or ordering the proper packaging for use at various remote shipping sites, for example. If the employee responsible for ordering hazmat packaging would never actually come into direct contact with the materials being shipped, the employer is not required to provide hazmat safety training. That said, an employee who orders hazmat packaging from an off-site office still needs hazmat training commensurate with his or her responsibilities , just not safety training.

These employees would still need training to properly perform their hazmat function—i. Hazmat General Awareness and Security Awareness training would still be required, as well as function-specific training needed to select the proper package. Safety Training for Workers Handling Shipments Safety training is required for workers who physically handle hazardous materials. DOT lists three specific topics that must be included in safety training for these workers.

According to 49 CFR To determine what exactly should be covered by this training, it can help to consider the OSHA employee safety regulations. OSHA provides detailed minimum training requirements for several different categories of employees in the workplace. Many of these have recurrent training requirements, minimum number of training hours, and testing requirements; though they vary a great deal based on the specific job duties. Find OSHA Hazard Communication training in English and Spanish to inform and protect employees who handle and package hazardous chemicals in you workplace.

DOT requries these 7 pieces of information: The basic description and technical name of the hazardous material Immediate hazards to health; Risks of fire or explosion; Immediate precautions to be taken in the event of an accident or incident; Immediate methods for handling fires; Initial methods for handling spills or leaks in the absence of fire; and Preliminary first aid measures.

Workers should be trained to properly select and use personal protective equipment when needed, for example. There are also elements of employee safety that are specific to your facility. Employees should not only know that gloves are needed to handle a material, but also where to find gloves or other PPE when needed.

If an employee needs to use an eye-wash station or shower after a chemical exposure, he or she should know where that equipment is located in your facility, and how to operate it properly.

Avoiding Accidents and Handling Packages Hazmat employees must also be trained to use safe work practices while packaging, handling, or loading hazardous materials. This can include training employees to recognize chemical labels, use safe lifting and handling practices, and understand the risks posed by the materials in your workplace.

How to Implement A Comprehensive Safety Training Program When creating a consolidated training program, it is crucial that you meet all the minimum requirements for each agency training requirement you are hoping to cover.

While safety programs often overlap, it is critical to document all of the training that you provide in employee training records.

Employee hazmat training records are an easy target for hazmat inspectors, who will expect to see complete records of all training performed to ensure compliance with the HMR. Click here to see our full schedule of in-person workshops coming to Philadelphia, Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, and more. Find a Post Search for:. Under these regulations, a hazmat shipper is responsible for:. Sign up for Hazmat Training.

Between the inherent hazards of the job and the repercussions of violating federal training regulations, regular hazmat training is an obvious necessity. CHEMTREC now offers online hazmat training to ensure frontline employees have the most updated information on proper hazardous materials handling and shipping. Our online courses cover:. Our courses feature a convenient online platform that allows you to start, stop and resume your training at any time. The sessions are fully interactive and provide learning checks and a final exam.

Every employer that deals in any way with materials regulated under the U. DOT Hazardous Materials Regulations is responsible for training its own employees, and there are no exceptions for the size of the business. Even a self-employed individual under these guidelines must comply with training requirements. Any person who directly supervises employees that conduct any of these tasks must also satisfy training requirements.

Learn more about who needs hazmat training in our hazmat training infographic. DOT requires hazmat training be updated every three years, or in the event that the Department of Transportation issues new or revised rules related to the duties of a hazmat employee. IATA requires training be updated every two years.

Criminal violations may result in fines, imprisonment, or both. Learn more about how often training should be updated in our hazmat training infographic.