BASICs: Improving Hazardous Materials Compliance 14
Drivers and their trucks are the most visible elements of hazardous materials compliance. They are the ones inspected on the road. Regardless of who at the motor carrier made the initial mistake in placarding, loading or paperwork, all of these frequent hazmat violations are discoverable by the driver and all of them are part of the training a driver receives in obtaining a hazardous materials CDL endorsement. When these violations do occur, they are marked against the motor carrier’s Hazardous Materials Compliance BASIC. As it’s been said, hazmat violations represent a “failure to communicate.”
Communications link #3: to law enforcement on what hazardous cargo is inside the trailer.
Whether at time of an inspection or when responding to a hazmat incident or accident, the motor carrier must communicate to law enforcement just what hazardous materials are inside the trailer. That will determine the actions taken by law enforcement and whether first responders are also needed at the scene.
Law enforcement may have the trailer opened for inspection. Discrepancies in these four items will trigger a look at the freight itself, as the whole point of hazardous materials compliance is communicating exactly what commodities of “unreasonable threat” are being transported.
Why does law enforcement want to see the USDOT hazmat carrier registration number? If there are errors in the placards, shipping papers or emergency response information, law enforcement investigators will potentially review the motor carrier’s documentation and that of the hazardous materials shipper to see if the errors are systemic. That is particularly true when a look at the hazmat freight itself reveals problems in packaging or blocking and bracing – which can be shared responsibilities between the shipper and carrier.
LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL WANT TO SEE FOUR ITEMS:
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PROPER PLACARDING SHIPPING PAPERS EMERGENCY RESPONSE INFO
USDOT HAZMAT CARRIER REGISTRATION NUMBER
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