Frequently Asked Questions:

As per § 171.8, a hazmat employee is a person who handles, loads, unloads, transports, and ships hazardous materials. The job can be related to designing, manufacturing, fabricating, inspecting, maintaining, identifying, repairing, marking, testing, and packaging hazardous materials or any containers that contain those materials. Hazmat employees are employed by hazmat employers.

Per 29 CFR 1910.120(q)(6), if you are a hazardous materials technician, you must receive at least 24 hours of first responder operations level training. You must also have competency in the areas listed therein.

The four levels of hazmat training include:

• Awareness
• Operations
• Technician
• Specialist

Being hazmat certified means that you have the necessary hazmat certification to handle, move, ship, mark, maintain, transport, repair, receive and dispatch hazardous materials and containers that contain hazardous materials. This also includes emergency rescue, fire fighting, mining, construction, waste treatment, management, and disposal.

The three major types of hazardous materials are Class 1 - explosives, Class 2 - flammable gas, & Class 3 - flammable liquids.

In total, there are 9 hazardous substances that you must be aware of. These are:

• Flammable
• Oxidizing
• Explosives
• Toxic
• Serious health hazard
• Health hazard
• Corrosive
• Gas under pressure
• Environment hazard

Hazmat training is important to make your hazmat employees more efficient. They need to be trained in specific functions that they are required to perform on a daily basis. All hazmat employees must receive training if they want to ensure the smooth functioning of their hazmat operations and the safety of everyone working in the workplace. Hazmat training includes various methods, procedures, and a lot of information about accident avoidance and safety measures in addition to a lot of valuable insights about hazardous materials handling and management.

The 10 hazard symbols are:

• Explosive - Exploding Bomb
• Flammable - Flame
• Oxidizing - Flame Over Circle
• Corrosive - Corrosion
• Toxic Or Acutely Toxic - Skull And Crossbones
• Damaging To The Environment Or Environmentally Hazardous - Environment
• Health Hazard - Exclamation Mark
• Health Hazard Or Serious Health Hazard - Health Hazard
• Compressed Gas Or Gas On The Pressure - Gas Cylinder

The perfect example of a hazmat employee is someone who deals with hazardous materials directly. It can also be a firefighter in your neighborhood. As per the definition from 49 CFR (171.8), any individual who comes in direct contact with hazardous materials or is involved in the transportation of it is a hazmat employee. The term also includes any owner-operator who is directly involved in the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce.

Handling hazardous materials is a critical job

• They need to be stored properly
• If there are any incompatible items, they must be separated
• Proper ventilation needs to be maintained
• Dry and cool areas should also be maintained depending on the composition of the material
• The work area should always be kept clean
• It is also very important to maintain sanitation after handling any hazardous materials
• All the work surfaces must be cleaned at least once every shift
• Safety measures should be taken to minimize contamination risks

The following topics are usually a part of general awareness under the hazmat course

• Hazardous materials regulations
• Various training requirements
• Handling hazardous materials in the workplace
• Emergency response guide book
• Shipping papers
• Packing, loading, and unloading hazardous materials

A hazmat certificate is a certificate course that is designed to provide hazmat handling and response education to hazmat employees. It helps them prevent and manage the leak, spread, or spillage of hazardous materials. It also trains them in protecting humans and the environment from any health hazards arising out of that hazardous material.