9.1 The Intent of the Regulations

9.1.1 Contain the Material

Transporting hazardous materials can be risky. The regulations are intended to protect you, those around you, and the environment. They tell shippers how to package the materials safely and drivers how to load, transport, and unload the material. These are called "contain­ment rules."

9.1.2 Communicate the Risk

To communicate the risk, shippers must warn drivers and others about the material's hazards. The regulations require shippers to put hazard warning labels on packages, provide proper shipping papers, emergency response information, and placards. These steps communicate the hazard to the shipper, the carrier, and the driver.

9.1.3 Assure Safe Drivers and Equipment

In order to get a hazardous materials endorsement on a CDL, you must pass a written test about transporting hazardous materials. To pass the test, you must know how to:

  • Identify what are hazardous materials.
  • Safely load shipments.
  • Properly placard your vehicle in accordance with the rules.
  • Safely transport shipments.

Learn the rules and follow them. Following the rules reduces the risk of injury from hazardous materials. Taking shortcuts by breaking rules is unsafe. Non-compliance with regulations can result in fines and jail.

Inspect your vehicle before and during each trip. Law enforcement officers may stop and inspect your vehicle. When stopped, they may check your shipping papers, vehicle placards, and the hazardous materials endorsement on your driver license, and your knowledge of haz­ardous materials.

9.2 Hazardous Materials Transportation­ - Who Does What

9.2.1 The Shipper

  • Sends products from one place to another by truck, rail, vessel, or airplane.
  • Uses the hazardous materials regulations to determine the product's:
  • Identification number.
  • Proper shipping name.
  • Hazard class.
  • Packing group.
  • Correct packaging.
  • Correct label and markings.
  • Correct placards.
  • Must package, mark, and label the materials; prepare shipping papers; provide emergency response information; and supply placards.        
  • Certify on the shipping paper that the ship­ment has been prepared according to the rules (unless you are pulling cargo tanks supplied by you or your employer).       

9.2.2 The Carrier

  • Takes the shipment from the shipper to its destination.
  • Prior to transportation, checks that the shipper correctly described, marked, labeled, and otherwise prepared the shipment for trans­portation.
  • Refuses improper shipments.
  • Reports accidents and incidents involving hazardous materials to the proper government agency.

9.2.3 The Driver

  • Makes sure the shipper has identified, marked, and labeled the hazardous materials properly.
  • Refuses leaking packages and shipments.
  • Placards vehicle when loading, if required.
  • Safely transports the shipment without delay.
  • Follows all special rules about transporting hazardous materials.
  • Keeps hazardous materials shipping papers and emergency response information in the proper place.