HAZMAT question from NH

Generally 5ft is the magic number from parking next to public highway when it comes to class 1 material...

Also do not park within 300 ft of..

• Bridge, or tunnel or building
• Places where people gather
• An open fire

While transporting class 1 hazmat (or divisions within...)
Always be within sight of your vehicle while in transit...
(not sure how this works when you gotta go to the bathroom)

It also says...

'The person attending the placarded vehicle must be in the vehicle, awake, and not in the sleeper berth, or within 100 feet of the vehicle and have it within clear view.."

Again...I kind of question this one...they're basically saying you can't 'sleep', if your hauling hazmat that you can't sleep...ever...actually it uses the word 'person attending or watching vehicle'...so that could mean person other than assigned driver...

And of course...no flares when working hauling class 1,2,3 material...



Use reflective triangles instead, if you have break down...

Anyways...thats all for tonight...just wanted to lay out a general generic study template for the OP...

 

In Calif. hazamt is good for five years. My understanding is if the company you work for hauls Hazmat they have to have a class every 2 years. This is usually a refresher course after the intial one. Bascially its to keep everyone up to date on new regs and company policies on hauling the stuff. While yes getting the Hazmat Endorsement is a pita,its a good thing to have. There are a couple of reasons. The first hauling hazmat pays a little more. Second is if the only outbound load is a hazmat one and you don't have hazmat your sitting till your DM can find a nonhazmat load.

 

Your right scuby...and also most don't take their hazmat loads serious enough...

Don't even bother checking what their hauling, or checking the guide book to read up on containment procedures, or hazards,

Don't bother seeing what class it's in...whether it's class 1 (explosives)...which very few carrier haul anyways...

or if it's class 3 (flammable liquids) or class 6 (poison) ect ect...

it pays to know this stuff so that should something occur, an accident, you'll be better prepared to deal with it, and inform first responders with correct information...

Fireman have to know what they're dealing with so they can decide proper exqtuingshing method...

Water will actually make some hazamat spills worse...like 'oxidizers'...class 5, I think water makes that worse...

And sometimes shippers might totally improperly load you...like placeing certain hazmat classes together that are forbiden...

Like you cannot haul, in same trailer class 1 (explosives) with class 2, division 3 (2.3) poisonous gas...or class 6 (poisonous material)...

They may just stuff all this stuff in together and have you sign the bills...



This is a good book to study...and you can track down every hazmat material your hauling in this book...

The Hazmat table corresponds with this book...
You can look up Hazmat either through Identification number (column 4)
Or through Chemical name (column 2) and it will be in alphabetical order...

http://handheld.softpedia.com/progD...idebook-ERG-for-Pocket-PC-Download-82088.html

You can actually down load it at some locations...
And the ERG book was actually designed or created for fire fighters and police...and gives them a quick guide or reference to identify chemicals, and proper way to contain...

 

is not bad,30 multiple choice questions,background check,fingerprints.

 

'Q' up....

What's that mean?

Qualify up....in other words better to have, and not need than to need and not have...

Today I Q'd and just got everything...even got Tanker endorcement again...the whol shabang....

Why not, I mean it only helps you in your job search...

And haveing 'x' endorcement plus Hazmat, really puts you in an elite group of qualified drivers...

You may not need it now...but the moment you do, for a job, a local job, you've always wanted, and don't have it, you'll regret it...

Cause employers don't wanna hear 'Oh but I can get it soon'...

By that time they've already hired someone else...there's 20 other drivers who want that job too...they're not going to wait on you to get your endorcements...

So yes, now I'm Q'd up...got everything, all port badges, twik, and all endorcements....

Again...I may not need any of it, or only a few things, but when I do...it's there...

As far as the Hazmat test...something that almost sank me was knowing or not knowing what the symbols stand for in column 1 of the Hazmat material table..

• (+) shows proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group ect ect
• (A) Means the hazardous material described in column 2 is subject to the HMR only when transporting by air ect ect (read more on that I'm just condencing it)
• (W) refers to rules applicable to water transport ect ect
• (D) domestic ect ect
• (I) International ect ect...

Be sure to study those symbols that appear in column 1...cause not knowing them could make the difference between passing or failing by one question...

And I don't know about you, but I don't take tests, unless I pass...
Failing a test is a big waste of time...

I knocked two out today, back to back...the tanker endorcement is pretty easy...

I use to have it all anyways, but let it go a few years ago...since most companies I worked for never used it...

But when you start wanting to get into more specialize, local type driving, where your home daily, it will benefit you to have all the endorcements you can get...it's pay for itself....

 

I'm glad I 'Q'd up'....qualified up...

It paid off...cause had I not...a future opportunity would not have opened up for me...all because I took the initative to get my Hazmat...or I should say 'get it again'...after I let it expire a few years ago...

I studied for the test right on here, and that explains the last few posts by me, or I should say notes...

it's easier to learn when you re-write what your learning...cause in order to re-write what you've just read, it has to stick to at least your first stage of short term memory...

Often if we don't repeat what we've just learned, it just rolls off the brain like water on an oily surface...

So if you don't have your hazmat...I highly suggest you get it...it will give you that slight little edge that you may need to get that one job, where the window to hire is short...

Again...if they ask you 'Do you have your hazmat?'...
And you say 'no, but I can get it'...

They've already dismissed you...in their minds your simply not 'qualified'...and have already moved onto the next applicant...

I studied so hard and fast that I still, off the top of my head, can remember the 9 Hazmat classes...

1. Explosives
2. Gas (combustionable)
3. Liquid
4. Solids
5. Oxidizers
6. Poisons
7. Radioactive
8. Corrosives
9. Misc


Bad thing is though...is usually once you get out there on the road...freight moves so fast and furious, that unless you notice some major issue that effects the mechanics of the truck...most will ignore your concerns along the logistics chain...



I mean between the broker, shipper, carrier, and reciever...your like stuck in the middle...
And they're all in a hurry to make that dollar...and will often 'gloss' over your safety concerns...and take on a more 'pass along' attitude...

In other words 'Hey, why are you bugging me with this stuff, just pass it on to the next chump who gets the trailer or load'...

Cause if you can't take load do to leaking whatever, now that effects the chain in reverse...holds up shipper, which effects brokers pay, which effects the recieving warehouse waiting...

So sometimes trying to be to much of a hero, can annoy people...
but if it's your safety vs annoying someone...annoy them...

Anyways...like I've said...I can't do that OTR stuff anymore...but don't mind messing around locally, where I'm home daily...

But, had I not had hazmat...that wouldn't be possible...

 

anyone know the rules for transporting hazmat throught a school zone? i was told that no matter what time of day you always have to follow the posted school zone speed. is this true?

 

As dull and dry as that question may seem to some...have no fear, the ghostchild is hear...and will answer this question for you in a bit, after I wrap up some other stuff I'm working on...back in a second or two...

 

The signs are pretty much self explanitory...they will pretty much tell you the hours you have to obey the prescibed speed limit...hazmat or no hazmat...

Just read the signs...usually the slower speeds apply during school hours, after school hours...than it will go to normal street speed...like 35 or 45 mph...