Tag: Hazardous Materials

7 Steps for an Effective HazMat Training Program

DOT’s Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs) require that hazmat employees receive “adequate training” for their specific job duties. As a hazmat employer, you are left in the dark as to what “adequate training” actually means. As a matter of fact, DOT has written a letter of interpretation that states the agency’s position on the meaning of […]

HAZWOPER: What You Need to Know for Emergency Responders Training

Emergency responders must be trained before their participation in emergency response operations. Their training must be based on the functions and duties they will be expected to perform. Examples of activities emergency responders could be involved in include: Responding to the spill of a highly toxic substance from an overturned 55-gallon drum Responding to a […]

Hazmat Fines Can Be Hefty

Civil Penalties With a few exceptions, most violations of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) hazardous materials regulations (HMRs) carry a civil penalty of up to $75,000 per day per violation for knowingly violating one of the HMRs. If the violation results in death, serious illness, or severe injury to any person or […]

Back Away from That Truck! Don’t Become a Hazmat Offeror by Accident

There is much confusion concerning who an offeror is under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrations (PHMSA) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMRs). PHMSA has numerous interpretation letters that attempt to clarify this issue for individual scenarios. We found two letters we think are pertinent to help you determine whether you are an offeror under the […]

Worker Safety and Forklift Maintenance

Yesterday, we looked at forklift maintenance—particularly, at the training required for workers who perform repair and maintenance on forklifts. Today, we’ll look at a few more requirements that might apply, as well as some rules for maintenance locations and replacement parts. Additional Training for Forklift Maintenance Workers Some topics are specific to forklifts, but other […]

Top 10 Hazmat Violations

In its most recent data, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had performed over 154,000 roadside inspections of trucks in 2012 targeting compliance with hazardous materials transportation regulations. During these inspections, DOT inspectors found almost 35,000 violations.