Call our information line to obtain hazardous materials 

transportation information, copies of rulemakings and training 

materials. Specialists are on duty Monday through Friday from 

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time; however, you may call any time, 

24 hours a day, seven days a week, and leave a message. We will

return your call before the end of the next business day. You 

may use this number to report alleged violations of the 

Hazardous Materials Regulations.

Training Sources

Videos, CD-ROMs, training materials, fact sheets, newsletters, and

other safety-related information are available from U.S. DOT. 

View them or order on-line on the web at

http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/pubs.htm

U.S. Department of Transportation

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

Office of Hazardous Materials Initiatives and Training

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, PHH-50 

Washington, DC 20590-0001

202-366-2301 FAX: 202-366-7342

U.S. Department of TransportationPipeline and Hazardous MaterialsSafety Administration

INFO-LINE

1-800-HMR49-22

Hazardous Materials 

DHM50-0029-0403

Training 

for the Safe 

Transportation 

of Hazardous

Materials

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Must the test be in a written format or may a skill demonstration be used?

Any test that ensures that the employee can perform the assigned duties incompliance with the HMR is acceptable. Training and testing may be accomplished in a variety of ways: performance, written, verbal, or a combination of these.Must the employee “pass” a test?The requirements do not state that the employee must “pass” a test; however,an employee may only be certified in areas in which he/she can successfullyperform his/her hazmat duties.Does IMDG Code, ICAO Technical Instructions, OSHA or EPAtraining fulfill the HMR requirements?This training may be used to the extent that the general awareness, function-specific, safety, and security training and testing requirements of theHMR are met. Areas not covered will require additional training.Who will enforce the training requirements in § 172.704?Enforcement pertaining to carriers is the responsibility of each U.S. DOT modaladministration. Compliance or noncompliance with the training rule will bedetermined during safety and compliance reviews of shippers and carriers.What type of fines would be involved?A violation of any hazardous materials regulation, including training, may resultin a civil penalty of up to $32,500 for each violation and, in certain cases, criminal penalties of up to $500,000 and imprisonment of up to 5 years. See § 107.329 and § 107.333.An office secretary types the required hazardous materials description ona shipping paper at the direction of another, item by item. Is the secretary a hazmat employee requiring training?Yes, each person who performs any function subject to the HMR must betrained, except special circumstances addressed by § 172.704(e).Do the hazmat training regulations apply to foreign flag vessels carrying hazardous materials?Yes, the regulations apply to each non-bulk domestic and foreign vessel whileoperating in the navigable waters of the United States.Do the hazmat training regulations apply to hazmat employers and/oremployees who operate a bulk vessel transporting hazardous materials?No. Except for transportation in bulk packagings, the bulk carriage ofhazardous materials by water is governed by 46 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter D,I, N, and O. See 49 CFR § 176.5(d).Is a shipmaster a hazmat employer?No, the shipmaster is a hazmat employee; the operator of the vessel is thehazmat employer.Do the hazmat training regulations apply to employees working withmaterials that are consumer commodities?Yes.Does a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with HM/tank vehicle endorsement satisfy requirements?A hazmat employer must determine applicability of CDL to the specific functions the employee performs and provide training for functions not coveredby the endorsement.

DEFINITIONS

ING means a systematic program (consistent approach, testing, and 

entation) that ensures that a hazmat employee has knowledge of

ous materials and the HMR, and can perform assigned hazmat functions

y. See § 172.700 through § 172.704.

AT EMPLOYER means a person who uses one or more employees in

ction with:

nsporting hazmat in commerce;

using hazmat to be transported or shipped in commerce; or

presenting, marking, certifying, selling, offering, reconditioning, testing,

pairing, or modifying packagings as qualified for use in the transportation

hazmat.

rm “hazmat employer” also includes any department, agency, or 

mentality of the United States, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or

an tribe engaged in offering or transporting hazmat in commerce. This

cludes an owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazardous

als in commerce. 

AT EMPLOYEE means a person who is employed by a hazmat employer

ho directly affects hazmat transportation safety including:

 owner-operator of a motor vehicle which transports hazmat;

person (including a self-employed person) who:

• loads, unloads, or handles hazmat;• tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise represents

packagings as qualified for use in the transportation of hazmat;

• prepares hazmat for transportation;• is responsible for safety of transporting hazmat; or• operates a vehicle used to transport hazmat.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

azmat employers/employees train and test themselves 

wner-operator)?

elf-training is acceptable provided that all training requirements of 

704 are met.

ertifies that an instructor is qualified to train, test, and certify in

dance with § 172.704?

 for certain FAA required 14 CFR training, the U.S. DOT does not review

fy training programs for pre-approval purposes. The employer must

ine a trainer’s qualifications based on the employer’s need.

he trainer who teaches and tests the hazmat employee 

 that the hazmat employee is trained and tested?

e hazmat employer’s responsibility to ensure that a hazmat employee is

y trained and tested; however, the hazmat employer may designate an

e source to train, test, and certify on his/her behalf that the employee has

ained and tested.

signated outside source trains but does not test the 

yee, must the employee be tested to complete this training?

he employee must be tested in order for the training to meet the 

ments of the HMR. The hazmat employer is responsible for ensuring

azmat employee is trained and tested.

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