DOT HAZMAT Training Saves Lives

In the 2001 Pixar movie, Monsters Inc., the fictional and colorful monsters power their city through the collection of children's screams. However, in order to prevent any monster-child friendships, the movie's antagonist has made his employees believe that anything child-related was considered "hazardous material." An incident on the "Scare Floor", saw a monster with a sock on his back, sparking a "Code 2319", which promptly elicited a fleet of the CDA (Child Detection Agency) to respond. In a matter of 30 seconds, the contaminated monster was shaved and showered and made to wear a cone - showing the degree of seriousness when it came to child contamination.

Not Just a Children's Story

Although similar situations are not as dramatic as the one in the children's movie, the CDA followed proper protocol for a hazardous incident. In Jefferson County, Illinois, eleven people were sent to the hospital due to hazardous material fumes in the air. First responders followed the safety routine of stripping their clothes and showering, but still, needed medical attention. In Saskatoon, Canada, a long-term care center accidentally created chlorine gas, putting the residents and employees in danger. Firefighters shut down the building's ventilation system to prevent the gas from spreading. First emergency responders have DOT hazardous material training, but in hazardous materials transportation incidents, drivers shipping the hazardous materials are already on the scene and can minimize the effects before responders arrive.

What these incidents, both real and fiction, teach us that accidents happen in real life with seemingly simple tasks such as shipping hazardous material and when those accidents occur, we need people who know what to do. The Department of Transportation mandates that all employees managing and handling hazardous materials must have DOT HAZMAT training in order to identify the materials and respond accordingly in the case of an accident as being the first responder in any situation. Hazardous Material Regulations state that all employees who come into contact with the materials, from shipping and preparing the hazardous materials for transport to marking, labelling, to overseeing assignments, must comply to participate in a training course.

Without DOT HAZMAT Training

Regular real world incidents have shown us what could happen when people are exposed to hazardous materials including hazardous waste and without immediate action, many incidents can be fatal. When it is a matter of life and death, employers must hold the responsibility to ensure that all employees can prevent excess danger to themselves, the environment, and other people around them. This includes retaining records for the required time and regular compliance check ups.

Training is required for all employees within 90 days of hire or assignment or must work under supervision until training is complete. DOT HAZMAT training must be renewed every three years and have records of completion. Training holds importance not just a safety matter - both workplace safety and public safety, but also can result in financial penalties for non-compliance. The minimum penalty for HAZMAT training violation is $481/day and the maximum penalty for any HAZMAT shipping penalty is the heavy fee of $79,976/day. Today, these penalties can be easily avoided with online training courses that we offer on our website, compliancetrainingonline.com. Take the first step and prepare for any hazardous material incidents with our easy-to-use, low cost, high quality online training courses.