Georgia CDL DMV Endorsement Hazmat 1

The third column of the Hazardous Materials Table lists items' hazard classes and divisions. Drivers should never transport a material that is marked by the word "Forbidden."

When hazardous materials placards are required, they must be placed on all four sides of the transporting vehicle.

If a shipping paper includes information about both hazardous and non-hazardous materials, the hazardous materials must be differentiated in one of three ways. They must be listed first, highlighted in a contrasting color, or identified with an "X" placed before the shipping description in a column labeled "HM."

When transporting hazardous materials, shipping papers should be kept in a pouch in the driver's side door, or in another location where the driver is able to easily reach them while their seat belt is fastened. The papers must be easily visible to anyone who is entering the cab.

Hazardous materials placards must be positioned so any words or numbers can be read from left to right. They must be at least three inches away from any other markings.

Shippers must place diamond-shaped hazard warning labels on most packages of hazardous materials. If the label won't fit on the package, it can be placed on a tag that is securely attached to the package.

The shipper of hazardous materials is responsible for identifying the product's identification number; proper shipping name; hazard class; packing group; and correct packaging, labels, marking, and placards.

You must examine each tire on a motor vehicle at the beginning of each trip. The only effective way to check tire pressure is by using a tire pressure gauge.

If you are transporting radioactive material and believe there is a leak or broken package in your cargo, you should tell your dispatcher or supervisor as quickly as possible. Do not touch or inhale the material. Do not use the vehicle until it has been cleaned or checked with a survey meter.

If transporting any amount of chlorine, a driver must always stop at a railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest track.

You must have a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement to drive a vehicle of any size that is used to transport hazardous materials.

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) lists all hazardous chemicals and their assigned identification numbers.

To determine which hazardous materials placards to use, you must know the hazard class of the materials; the amount of hazardous materials being shipped; and the total weight of all classes of hazardous materials in the vehicle.

If the letter “G,” for "Generic," is written in Column 1 of a shipping paper, the technical name of the associated hazardous material must also be listed.

While shippers of hazardous materials are responsible for providing necessary placards, it is the driver's responsibility to actually place them on the vehicle.

A material's ID number must appear on its accompanying shipping paper as well as on its packaging. It must also appear on cargo tanks and other bulk packaging.

If you are experiencing a truck fire, you should not attempt to open trailer doors without first feeling the doors to see if they are hot. If the doors are hot, there may be a cargo fire. Leave the doors closed if there is a cargo fire.

Many hazardous materials become more dangerous when exposed to heat. Hazardous materials should be loaded and unloaded away from heat sources.

If a substance is being transported in a reportable quantity, the shipper must display the letters "RQ" on the shipping paper and package.

Radiation will surround each package of radioactive materials and pass through to all nearby packages. The number of packages that can be loaded together is controlled.

If a package of hazardous materials is not large enough to display the proper label, the label may be placed on a tag that is securely attached to the package.

It is the responsibility of a carrier to refuse improper shipments of hazardous materials.

Unless your engine runs a pump for product transfer, turn it off when loading or unloading a compressed gas tank. If you do use your engine to run a pump, you should turn the engine off after the product transfer but before unhooking the hoses.

Many products classed as poison are also flammable. Take the appropriate precautions if you think your cargo may be flammable.

Because of the risks presented by the nature of the materials, government on federal, state, and local levels may impose regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials.

Before loading or unloading a tank with flammable liquids, you should turn off the engine, unless running the engine is necessary to operate a pump.

If you discover a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, identify the materials in question by using the shipping papers, labels, or package location. Do not touch the leaking material.

There are nine different classes of hazardous materials. A class reflects the risks associated with a type of material.

Shippers must retain a physical copy or an electronic image of hazardous materials shipping papers for a minimum of two years after the materials are accepted by the initial carrier. For hazardous waste, this increases to three years.

Nitric acid should not be stacked above any other product. Containers of nitric acid may be stacked, but no higher than two containers high.