Hazmat transportation
- Any entity shipping or transporting hazmat by highway within the United States is subject to the HMR as required by PHMSA.
Transportation of hazardous materials requires a clear understanding of the hazardous substances on the vehicle. An incident involving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) transporting hazmat could result in an injury or illness for the driver or general public, an environmental mess requiring cleanup, and/or an explosion.
The mission of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is to protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other essential hazmat. To accomplish this, PHMSA establishes national policy, sets and enforces standards, educates, and conducts research to prevent incidents. PHMSA also prepares the public and first responders to reduce consequences if an incident should occur.
Anyone shipping or transporting hazmat by highway within the United States must follow the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) as required by PHMSA. Carriers also need to follow regulations set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
With large volumes of hazmat on the roads each day, PHMSA and FMCSA have taken steps to increase public safety. These steps provide guidance and regulations in areas such as:
- Accepting a shipment,
- Loading and unloading,
- On the road, and
- Violations and enforcement.
The HMR require that all hazmat employers train their hazmat employees. This required training helps ensure that every hazmat employee:
- Is familiar with the HMR;
- Can recognize and identify hazmat;
- Understands specific HMR requirements applicable to the functions performed; and
- Is knowledgeable about emergency response, self-protection measures, and accident prevention methods.
Training
Before hazmat employees perform any job function subject to the HMR, they must be trained, tested, and certified. Until training is finished, hazmat employees cannot perform any hazmat function, unless they are directly supervised by a trained hazmat employee and training is completed in 90 days.
Further, each hazmat employee must be provided with recurrent training at least once every three years. Hazmat employees must be tested upon completion of training. Training may be provided directly by the hazmat employer or by other public or private sources.
Regardless of who provides the training, the hazmat employer is responsible for ensuring that appropriate testing occurs. The training must be effective, appropriate, and successful in achieving the intended objectives of providing employees with knowledge and skills necessary to perform their job functions safely.
Information regarding hazmat training can be found in 49 CFR Subpart H, 172.700 through 172.704.
For more in-depth information on hazmat transportation, click on the following links: