company training fuel/hazmat

Mandatory!!!!!!

 

When I ran a fuel truck we were certified for carrying and hauling diesel fuel, engine oil, hydraulic oils, dynamite and a few other things as well as for the proper cleanup should we encounter a spill. I do not know if all of that was mandatory or not but it was a fact of life for all the fuel truck drivers. Mind you, I never told him about getting my Mack up to fifth gear in reverse LOL Not sure he would have had any more beer with me after that. Even a safety director has to have fun sometimes though, and when you spend that much time together ...

 

Its called haz wopper or something like that here in calif, its a boring class but required, I,ve done it once in my 10 years being a oiler hauling 1993 loads. I think youre supposed to do it yearly.
My bad

 

HazWopper is an OSHA training standard. Haz Mat transportation has different regulations. You don't need Haz Wopper unless you transport waste and have a spill cleanup kit on you tractor and are expected to use it 'cause this is considered above and beyond normal HM transportation. A trained HM driver would be required to report the spill and protect the scene, add the spill kit and start absorbing and cleaning up a spill and OSHA takes over and you need Haz Wopper training.

The manditory HM safety training is supposed to be completed within 90 days of hiring an HM employee -or- promoting an employee to an HM position. It applies to every employee associated with Haz Mat, the clerk who prints the papers, the pruchasing agent who orders the hoses, etc., the mechanics working on the trucks, almost everyone!

You are supposed to be given general HM knowledge, training on how to recognize hazards and job specific training. It must be documented and re-training is required every three years...

Here is the regulations:


Code of Federal Regulations
Title 49, Subpart H, §172.700-172.704
(Formerly Docket HM-126F)
PHMSA amended the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) in conformance with amendments to the Federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Law that required DOT to regulate the training of all hazardous materials (hazmat) employees. Training which meets these requirements will increase a hazmat employee's safety awareness and be an essential element in reducing hazmat incidents.


Training and the Hazmat Law
The Federal hazardous materials transportation law (49 U.S.C. § 5101 et seq.), is the basic statute regulating the transportation of hazardous materials (hazmat) in the United States. This law requires the training of ALL hazmat employees. The purpose is to increase a hazmat employee's safety awareness and be an essential element in reducing hazmat incidents. The Hazardous Materials regulations (HMR) include training requirements in several sections of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as follows:
GENERAL § 173.1
SPECIFIC § 172.704

MODAL

• Air § 175.20
• Vessel § 176.13
• Highway §§ 177.800, 177.816

Each Hazmat Employer Must

• train and test
• certify
• develop and retain records of current training (inclusive of preceding three years) for each hazmat employee (during the period of employment and 90 days thereafter)

Training Must Include

• General awareness/familiarization
• Function-specific, training
• Safety
• Security awareness
• In-depth security training, if a security plan is required
• Driver training (for each hazmat employee who will operate a motor vehicle)

Initial Training

A new employee, or an employee who changes job functions, may perform hazmat job functions before completing training, provided:

• the employee does so under the direct supervision of a properly trained and knowledgeable hazmat employee; and
• the hazmat training is completed within 90 days of employment or change in job function.

Recurrent Training

• Is required at least once every three years. The three year period begins on the actual date of training.
• Relevant training received from a previous employer or other source may be used to satisfy the requirements, provided a current record of training is obtained from the previous employer or source (i.e., OSHA, EPA, and other Federal or international agencies.) Training must address components specified in 172.704(a) of the HMR to be considered applicable.

Training Records Must Include

• Hazmat employee's name
• Completion date of most recent training
• Training Materials (Copy, description, or location)
• Name and address of hazmat trainer
• Certification that the hazmat employee has been trained and tested.

 

Yes they are required to ensure that all the drivers are trained on the very specific equipment along with a knowledge test. The requirement comes from CFR 49 parts 100 to 177 Parts 177 cover carriage by public highway. It all boils down that every drivers knows how to put a fire out. The driver has to know where all the emergency shut downs and switches are and any other items that is built into that truck for safe loal and unload. So just knowing whats on th CDL does not cover all the steps/They will also ask you questions about the product you'll be hauling. My advice is get in there and learn all you can,it's there for your to help and to minimize the public's risk.

 

Back around 2000 I attended a DOT seminar. They spoke about 49 CFR 172.702 asking how many of the attendees were the person responsible for the HM training at their company.

Most of us held up our hands.

Then they read 172.702 and pointed out how the company owner was responsible to make sure the HM training requirements were completed.

Then they asked how many of us had a letter, from the company owner, designating the safety person as the individual in charge of training and able to determine teh contents of training materials. We were told to return to work and write that letter and have the boss sign it.

It is one of the items checked during an audit and they indicated they were collecting alot of fines...most owners simply delegated HM training without documentation or authorization.

8 years later the audit was over an HM incident and the auditor was sidetracked finding false logs when one evening she told me to leave all my HM training records and materials out on the confrence room table so she could look at it first thing the next morning.

I left a stack 2' tall and that letter signed by the owner on top.

Took her all of 10 min the next day to call me and say I could put it all away she was finished w/ the HM part...

It pays off to follow the HM training regulations; I only had to do a couple 'catch ups' to be in compliance when she came in the door. The fact that I had training materials & training records back over 10 years AND that letter made a DOT HM specialist turn back to this darn false logs...

 

haz wopper is required for anyone in the hazardous waste industry that deals directly with it a 40 hour initial class is required then every year you must do a 8 hour refresher this isn't required if you are dealing with "new" or end user products only waste or "used" products is my understanding. I went through this class several times and it is very boring very little is talked about anything related to trucking. ZZZZZZZZZ

 

It started as an EPA requirement of 40 hours training followed by 8 hour refreshers originally OSHA standard 1910.120. It is all about personal protection and handlng HM and has nothing to do w/ transportation.

However a driver transporting HM who is issued a 'spill kit' containing absorbents and a plastic bag s/ gloves and maybe a tyveck suit. is required to have Haz Wopper training.

One carrier took over an operation that included a few box trucks making local deliveries. The displaced [union] guys dropped a dime to OSHA, due to the trucks all having an overpack drum containing a spill kit.

By about the 2nd 8 hour refresher you are bored stiff...it just doesent change that much!