A Look At Employees Who Should Have DOT Hazmat Training
The transportation business alone is filled with all kinds of rules and regulations. However, if you throw in the factor of hazardous materials, everything gets even more complicated. If you own a transport business that handles hazardous materials in any shape or form, some specific employees will have to go through DOT hazmat training. Not every employee in your business will have to undergo this training, but many will, and sometimes more employees should have the training than what you expect. Here is a short list of employees who should have DOT hazmat training in your hazmat shipping or transport business.
Employees that Select or Prepare Materials for Shipment
Any employee who is part of your workplace that is directly in charge of preparing hazardous materials for shipment simply must have extensive and ongoing training with hazmat practices. These people are the ones who will be directly responsible for ensuring the products have the outlined packaging, are handled appropriately according to regulations and do not come in contact with safety hazards in the process. Direct material handlers often require even more extensive training than others in the workplace because their job is more hands-on than what other positions may be.
Employees that Select Carriers or Means of Transport
There are a lot of regulations that come into play with the specific types of materials and how they should be handled. Different chemicals have different transport needs because they can react to different things. For instance, one chemical may require refrigerated transport, while another may need ambient temperatures to remain stable. The person who is in charge of arranging shipments must have a full understanding of these requirements so they can make the safest arrangements for different hazardous materials. Therefore, DOT hazmat training is a must for those with these specific job responsibilities.
Employees that Work Around the Hazardous Materials
It's easy to assume that if a person in your workplace does not directly handle or oversee the handling of hazmat products, they should not have to undergo the same kind of training. However, anyone who works in the vicinity of the hazardous materials could be in danger of coming in contact with the materials or interacting with them in some shape or form throughout the workday. Therefore, even the employees you have stationed around or near material loading docks or storage areas, for example, should be properly trained.
Contact a company like dot compliance help for more information and assistance.