Technical Data Sheet #HMR126BRI.

U.S. Department of Transportation
Hazardous Materials Training Requirements
Executive Briefing on the training requirements of 49 CFR 172.700

I only ship "consumer commodities", do I have to train my employees?
I hire temporary workers; must I train them all?
If I hire a packing company to prepare the shipment, do I still have to train my employees?
These are very common questions. This briefing paper will explain the DOT’s requirement for hazmat employers to train their employees.
What companies are effected by this law?
Any company that ships, offers for shipment, or accepts hazardous materials for transport. This includes companies such as brokers and forwarders who many not even physically handle the freight, but act as an "offeror" of hazmat to a carrier.
What commodities are effected by this law?
Anything that is considered a hazardous material. Examples include: Aerosols (i.e. spray paint), dry ice, batteries, cosmetics, safety equipment, medical or cleaning supplies, the list includes thousands of commonly shipped items that meet the criteria of one or more of the 9 hazard classes.
Which employees of mine have to be trained?
Any person who directly effects the safety of a hazardous material in transportation is classified as a "hazardous materials employee."
When does this training have to be done?
All employers MUST train and TEST every hazardous materials employee within 90 days on the job. Recurrent training is required every two to three years and may be required sooner if they change job categories. Temporary workers can work under the supervision of a trained employee for up to 90 days.
What type of training is required?
The law requires these types of training:
* Function Oriented Training
* General Awareness Training
* Safety Training

The degree of training that an employee requires is determined by his job responsibilities. A driver for example, may require "functional" training on loading and handling dangerous goods, cargo compatibility, shipping papers, and emergency response procedures, among others.
Also, this rule requires recurrent training every three years or whenever the regulations change that effect the job function, whichever is sooner.
What does it mean to be "certified"
This means that the employer has certified that the employee is properly trained for their job function.
Can I train my employees by computer?
Yes.
Is there such as thing as "DOT Certification"
No.
Not in the sense that the DOT is the one certifying your employee… that is strictly an employer responsibility and neither the DOT nor their agencies (i.e. the FAA) get involved in certifying employees. There is no government approval of training programs or instructors for shipper or forwarders. This is an area that is often confused; please give us a call for more information on this important topic.