HazMat Regulations
30%of exam
Loading + Unloading
25%of exam
Emergency Response
25%of exam
Vehicle Safety
20%of exam
InspectionsCargo TanksSecurity PlanTSA AssessmentSafety Equipment
Quick Facts
- Endorsement
- H (HazMat)
- Questions
- 30 multiple choice
- Time
- 40 minutes
- Pass
- 80% (24/30)
- Renewal
- Every 5 years
- Background
- TSA assessment
- Rules
- 49 CFR HMR
- Training
- ELDT theory required
9 Hazard Classes
Explosives Gas Flame Solid Oxidizer Poison Radio Corrosive Misc
1 Explosives2 Gas3 Flammable4 Solid5 Oxidizer6 Poison7 Radioactive8 Corrosive9 Misc
Marking vs Label
Marking
- Proper shipping name
- UN/NA number
- Descriptive text
Label
- Diamond shape
- Hazard symbol/color
- Shows hazard class
Text vs symbol
Do I Need Placards?
- Carrying Table 1 material→Placard(Any amount)
- Bulk package / cargo tank→Placard(Any quantity)
- Table 2, under 1,001 lb→No placard(Aggregate weight)
- Table 2, 1,001 lb or more→Placard each class(Specific placards)
- Mixed Table 2 over 1,001 lb→DANGEROUS placard(Or each class)
- Material has subsidiary risk→Add subsidiary placard(Second hazard)
- Poison inhalation hazard→Placard(Always required)
- Residue still placardable→Keep placards(Empty rules apply)
9 Hazard Classes
- Class 1
- Explosives1.1-1.6
- Class 2
- Gases
- Class 3
- Flammable liquids
- Class 4
- Flammable solids
- Class 5
- Oxidizers, peroxides
- Class 6
- Poisons, toxic, infectious
- Class 7
- Radioactive
- Class 8
- Corrosives
- Class 9
- Miscellaneous hazards
Shipper Prep Steps
Classify Package Mark Label Certify
Classify: hazard classPackage: proper containerMark: name + IDLabel: hazard diamondCertify: sign paper
Table 1 vs Table 2
Table 1
- Most dangerous
- Placard any amount
- Explosives 1.1-1.3, PIH
Table 2
- Lower hazard
- Placard at 1,001 lb
- Flammables, corrosives
Always vs threshold
Key Divisions
- 1.1
- Mass explosion hazard
- 1.5
- Very insensitive explosive
- 2.1
- Flammable gas
- 2.3
- Poison gas
- 4.3
- Dangerous when wet
- 5.2
- Organic peroxide
- 6.1
- Toxic, poison
- 1.4S
- Limited explosion effect
Placard vs Marking
Placard
- On the vehicle
- All four sides
- Warns the public
Marking
- On the package
- Name + ID number
- Identifies contents
Vehicle vs package
Placarding Rules
- All 4 sides
- Front, rear, both sides
- Table 1
- Placard any amount
- Table 2
- Placard at 1,001 lb
- 1,001 lb
- Aggregate gross weight
- DANGEROUS
- Mixed Table 2 load
- Bulk package
- Placard any quantity
- Subsidiary
- Second hazard placard
- Diamond shape
- Color + symbol + number
Bulk vs Non-bulk
Bulk
- Over 119 gal liquid
- Cargo tank, IBC
- Placard any quantity
Non-bulk
- 119 gal or less
- Drums, boxes
- 1,001 lb threshold
Container size matters
Shipping Papers
- Basic description
- ID, name, class, group
- ID number
- UN or NA prefix
- HM column
- X marks hazardous entry
- Highlight
- Or contrasting color
- Listed first
- HazMat before other freight
- Certification
- Shipper signs statement
- Emergency phone
- Monitored 24/7 number
- Retain 1 year
- 3 years for waste
Flammable vs Combustible
Flammable
- Flashpoint at/below 140F
- Class 3
- Gasoline, alcohol
Combustible
- Flashpoint 140-200F
- Reclassified Class 3
- Diesel, fuel oil
Lower flashpoint = worse
Markings + Labels
- Marking
- Name and UN number
- Label
- Diamond hazard symbol
- Orientation arrows
- Keep package upright
- RQ
- Reportable quantity marking
- Limited Quantity
- Small-amount exemption
- Cargo Aircraft Only
- No passenger plane
- Radioactive I
- White, low level
- Radioactive II/III
- Yellow, transport index
Shipper vs Carrier
Shipper
- Classify, package
- Mark, label
- Sign certification
Carrier
- Placard vehicle
- Transport safely
- Refuse bad packages
Prepare vs transport
Rail Crossing Stop
Stop 15 to 50 feet from rail
No closer than 15 ftNo farther than 50 ftPlacarded loads only
Loading Rules
- Brace load
- Prevent all movement
- Drums upright
- Bungs facing up
- Reject damage
- Refuse leaking packages
- No metal tools
- Sparks near explosives
- Class 1 floor
- No engine running
- Corrosives low
- Below other freight
- No cargo heater
- Class 1, 3, gas 2.1
- Inspect cargo space
- Before loading hazmat
Segregation Rules
- Cyanide + acid
- Deadly gas, never together
- Poison + food
- Class 6 never with food
- Blasting caps
- Separate from explosives
- Class 1A and 1L
- Segregate from everything
- Oxidizer + flammable
- Keep apart
- Corrosive + flammable
- Separate, brace apart
- Seg table
- Lists forbidden pairs
- Charge/separate
- Codes in seg table
Driving + Parking
- Smoking
- 25 ft from explosives/gas
- Rail crossing
- Stop 15-50 ft
- Park 5 ft
- From traveled roadway
- 300 ft
- From bridge, tunnel, fire
- Attend vehicle
- Within 25 ft, clear view
- Safe haven
- Approved unattended explosive parking
- Avoid
- Sudden stops and turns
- Route plan
- Written for 1.1/1.2
ERG Colors
Yellow=ID Blue=Name Orange=Guide Green=Distance
Yellow: ID indexBlue: name indexOrange: action guideGreen: isolation
ERG Yellow vs Blue
Yellow
- By ID number
- Numerical order
- Use UN/NA digits
Blue
- By name
- Alphabetical order
- Use shipping name
Number vs name lookup
Leak or Incident Steps
- Notice leak en route→Pull to safe spot(Stop driving)
- Stopped safely→Identify material(Papers + ERG)
- Hazard understood→Secure the scene(Keep people back)
- Scene secured→Call 911 + carrier(Give location)
- Major release→Notify NRC(1-800-424-8802)
- Small, safe to fix→Stop leak if trained(Otherwise wait)
- Responders arrive→Hand shipping papers(Provide ERG guide)
- Vehicle on fire→Warn, move away(Do not fight)
ERG Color Sections
- Yellow
- Index by ID number
- Blue
- Index by name
- Orange
- Action guides 111-174
- Green
- Isolation, evacuate distances
- White front
- Placard and rail-car ID
- White back
- Protective actions, glossary
- Guide number
- From yellow or blue
- PIH/TIH
- Use green table
Incident Order
Protect Identify Secure Notify
Protect: people firstIdentify: papers + ERGSecure: keep backNotify: 911 + NRC
Using The ERG
- Know the ID number→Yellow section(Numerical index)
- Know only the name→Blue section(Alphabetical index)
- Have a guide number→Orange section(Action guide)
- Highlighted entry→Green section(Isolation distances)
- See only a placard→White front pages(Placard chart)
- Need protective actions→Green or orange(Evacuate distances)
- Spill of PIH gas→Green table(Day/night zones)
- No match found→Use Guide 111(Unknown hazard)
Emergency Actions
- Protect
- Self and public first
- Identify
- Use papers and ERG
- Secure
- Keep bystanders away
- Notify
- Call 911 and carrier
- Warn
- Set out warning devices
- Contain
- Only if trained, safe
- Hand papers
- Give responders shipping papers
- Do not move
- Stay with leaking vehicle
Notification Triggers
- NRC
- National Response Center
- 1-800-424-8802
- NRC phone number
- Fatality
- Report immediately
- Hospitalized injury
- Report immediately
- RQ release
- Report to NRC
- Major closure
- Road or facility shut
- Fire/breakage
- Of radioactive, explosive
- Written report
- DOT form within 30 days
Vehicle Checks
- Pre-trip
- Tires, brakes, leaks
- Explosive tires
- Check 2 hr / 100 mi
- Each stop
- Inspect when left unattended
- Tanker
- Inspect tank and fittings
- Walk-around
- Before opening trailer
- Fire extinguisher
- Power vehicle requirement
- Hot tires
- Common fire source
- Spare fuses
- Carry warning devices
Security + TSA
- TSA assessment
- Background threat check
- $86.50
- TSA fee, approx
- Disqualifiers
- Crime, immigration, intel
- Security plan
- Required at placard amounts
- Personnel security
- Vetting plan element
- En-route security
- Plan addresses transit
- ELDT
- Theory before knowledge test
- Suspicious package
- Keep distance, report security
Common Traps
Marking vs label
Marking is text/ID ≠ Label is hazard diamond
Table 1 vs Table 2
Table 1 always placards ≠ Table 2 at 1,001 lb
Bulk vs non-bulk
Bulk placards any amount ≠ Non-bulk uses threshold
Shipper vs carrier
Shipper marks/labels ≠ Carrier placards vehicle
Flammable vs combustible
Flammable at/below 140F ≠ Combustible 140-200F
DANGEROUS placard
Mixed Table 2 load ≠ Not for single class
ERG yellow vs blue
Yellow is by number ≠ Blue is by name
Last Minute
- 1.30 questions; pass 80% (24/30)
- 2.9 classes: explosives to miscellaneous
- 3.Placard all four sides of vehicle
- 4.Table 1 placards any amount
- 5.Table 2 placards at 1,001 lb
- 6.Bulk packages placard at any quantity
- 7.DANGEROUS placard = mixed Table 2
- 8.Shipping papers: ID, name, class, group
- 9.Mark HazMat: X, highlight, or first
- 10.Papers within reach or door pouch
- 11.Shipper signs certification; carrier placards
- 12.ERG yellow finds ID number
- 13.ERG blue finds material name
- 14.ERG orange holds action guides
- 15.ERG green gives isolation distances
- 16.Incident: protect, identify, secure, notify
- 17.Report fatality, RQ release, major closure
- 18.Smoke 25 ft from explosives
- 19.Stop 15-50 ft before railroad crossing
- 20.Park 5 ft from traveled road
- 21.Attend vehicle within 25 ft
- 22.Refuse leaking or damaged packages
- 23.Cyanide never with acid
- 24.TSA assessment plus ELDT theory required
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