Hazmat Training FAQ

What is a Hazmat employer?
What is a Hazmat employee?
What basic hazardous materials training is required?
What specific training required?
What records do I need to keep?


What is a Hazmat employer?

A hazmat employer is a person who uses one or more employees in connection with:

  • Transporting hazmat in commerce
  • Causing hazmat to be transported or shipped in commerce
  • Representing, marking, certifying, selling, offering, reconditioning, testing, repairing, or modifying packaging as qualified for use in the transportation of hazmat.

The term “hazmat employer” also includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an Indian tribe engaged in offering or transporting hazmat in commerce.

This term includes an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazardous materials in commerce.

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What is a Hazmat employee?

A hazmat employee is a person who is employed by a hazmat employer and who directly affects hazmat transportation safety.

This includes:

  • An owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazmat
  • A person (including a self-employed person) who:
    • Loads, unloads, or handles hazmat
    • Tests, reconditions, repairs hazmat
    • Modifies, marks, or otherwise represents packaging as qualified for use in the transportation of hazmat
    • Prepares hazmat for transportation
    • Is responsible for safety of transporting hazmat
    • Operates a vehicle used to transport hazmat

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What basic hazardous materials training is required?

Viking Packing can create hazmat training to match your needs, without wasting your time.

The HMR mandate training requirements for all employees who prepare hazmat for shipment or who transport hazmat in commerce. The intent of the regulations is to ensure that each hazmat employee is familiar with the HMR, is able to recognize and identify hazardous materials, understands the specific HMR requirements applicable to the functions he or she performs, and is knowledgeable about emergency response, self-protection measures, and accident prevention methods.

The regulations are performance-based to provide a baseline set of training requirements while acknowledging the need for flexibility due to the diversity of the hazmat workforce.

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.

The HMR require all hazmat employees to be trained including hazmat employers with direct supervision of hazmat transportation functions.

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What specific training required?

There are five types of training required:

GENERAL AWARENESS/FAMILIARIZATION TRAINING
Training that provides familiarity with the general requirements of the HMR and enables the hazmat employee to recognize and identify hazardous materials. All hazmat employees must receive general awareness training.

FUNCTION-SPECIFIC TRAINING
Training that provides a detailed understanding of HMR requirements applicable to the function(s) performed by the hazmat employee. Each hazmat employee must be trained on the specific functions they are required to perform.

SAFETY TRAINING
Training that covers the hazards presented by hazardous materials, safe handling, emergency response information, and methods and procedures for accident avoidance. All hazmat employees must receive this training.

SECURITY AWARENESS TRAINING
Training that provides a general understanding of the security risks associated with hazardous materials transportation and the methods designed to enhance transportation security. This training should include methods on how to recognize and respond to possible security threats. All hazmat employees must receive this training.

IN-DEPTH SECURITY TRAINING
Training that provides a detailed understanding of a company’s security plan including company security objectives, specific security procedures, employee responsibilities, actions to take in the event of a security breach and the organizational security structure. This training must be provided to hazmat employees who handle or perform regulated functions related to the transportation of the materials covered by the security plan or who are responsible for implementing the security plan.

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What records do I need to keep?

The hazmat employer is responsible for maintaining training records for each hazmat employee. These records must be kept for the duration of the three-year training cycle while the hazmat employee is employed and for 90 days after the employee leaves employment. Training records must be made available by the employer for audit and review by regulatory authorities upon request.

Training records must include the following:

  • The hazmat employee’s name
  • The most recent training completion date
  • A description of, copy of, or reference to training materials used to meet the training requirements
  • The name and address of the person providing the training
  • A certification that the person has been trained and tested as required
  • Certification that the hazmat employee has been trained and tested shall be made by the hazmat employer or a designated representative.

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