What Does Hazardous Materials Training Consist Of?

What Does Hazardous Materials Training Consist Of?

Employees in any career field who handle hazardous chemicals and other hazardous substances are required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) to undergo hazardous materials (hazmat) training.

This training ensures the safety of lives, the environment, and property while on the job, and it’s vital that you complete the training course as soon as you can after you are hired. Most employers require you to get hazmat certified within 60-90 days.

Hazmat training covers everything that you need in order to prepare for and respond to emergencies as well as aiding you in the prevention of mishandling these materials. In this article, we are going to break down what the training consists of so you can be prepared for what is expected of you in your future career field.

Hazmat Training: 5 Types

Hazmat certification requires five different types of training. These five different hazmat training areas give you more customized, comprehensive information based on what you need in order to do your specific job successfully.

General awareness and familiarization training covers the basics of the type of materials that you may come into contact with, proper labels and packaging to apply to these types of materials, and will familiarize you with the hazardous material classification system.

Function-specific training applies to the work that you will be involved in personally when it comes to handling these materials on the job.

Safety training outlines how one should handle these materials, what to do in the event of an accident, and how to avoid these accidents to the best of your ability. Some of these accidents may include spills, issues occuring as a result of incorrect packaging, and damage taken during transportation. 

Security awareness training addresses any security risks you may encounter while transporting hazardous materials and how to properly respond to these risks. This includes learning how to properly report what you believe may be a risk to the authorities and specific departments through the company.

In-depth security training covers the policies and procedures a company adheres to in the event of a security risk. This section is meant especially for those employees who will regularly transport materials outlined in the security plan.

The specific training steps that you will go through depend on your job at a company or facility.

Getting Hazmat Certified

Getting a hazmat certification is required for several jobs, and knowing how to get yours is important if you value a career in one of these fields.

Hazmat training is offered in groups on the jobsite, online, and individually in person in your area. Depending on the company you work for, you may have all options available to you, making it easy and convenient to get hazmat certified no matter your circumstances.

Always ask your employer which avenue they would prefer that you go through. Doing a thorough job and getting certified the right way will ensure success in whatever duties you are expected to perform.