HAZMAT Certification Requirements
The 5 Training Requirements for HAZMAT Certification
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.
Employees who work with the transportation of hazardous materials must first receive a HAZMAT certification. There are 5 types of training required for HAZMAT certification.
- General awareness/familiarization training
- Function-specific training
- Safety training
- Security awareness training
- In-depth security training
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.
The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 100-185), issued by the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) under authority of the Federal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.), establish requirements governing the commercial transportation of hazmat by highway, rail, vessel, and air. 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 specify appropriate packaging and handling requirements for hazardous materials and require a shipper to communicate the material’s hazards through use of shipping papers, package marking and labeling, and vehicle placarding. The HMR also require shippers to provide emergency response information applicable to the specific hazard or hazards of the material being transported.
All HAZMAT employees must be trained, including employers with direct supervision of HAZMAT transportation functions. Training requirements are located in Subpart H of Part 172 of the HMR. The training requirements apply to hazmat employers and hazmat employees as defined in §171.8.
HAZMAT Training Overview
General Awareness/Familiarization Training
This training provides familiarity with the general requirements of the Hazardous Materials regulations (HMR) and enables the employee to recognize and identify hazardous materials. This training will provide a basic understanding of:
- Identification of hazardous materials
- Hazard classification system
- Hazardous materials table
- Packaging
- Markings and labels
- Placards
- Shipping papers
- Segregation
- Understanding of HMR training requirements
- Requirements for incident reporting
- Security
Function Specific Training
Function specific training provides a detailed explanation of HMR requirements to be adhered to and performed by the employee. Training will differ according to the employee’s responsibilities and company needs.
Safety Training
Safety training covers the dangers presented by the handling of hazardous materials, the emergency response to hazardous materials, and accident avoidance.
Security Awareness Training
This type of training addresses the security risks involved with the transportation of hazardous materials and discusses the methods of recognizing and responding to potential security threats.
In-Depth Security Training
The final phase of training outlines a company’s security plan including security objectives, procedures, employee responsibilities, actions to take in the event of a security breach, and the company’s security structure.
This training is only necessary for employees who may handle or perform regulated functions related to the transportation of materials covered by the security plan or who may be responsible for implementing the company security plan.
Complete Your Hazmat Certification
Complete your hazmat transportation training online with National Environmental Trainers. You’ll work at your own pace from any device and receive your hazmat certificate immediately upon finishing the course.
Sign up your entire group today to receive a discounted rate or earn your individual hazmat transportation certificate for just $195.
