BASICs: Improving Hazardous Materials Compliance 7
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCLUDE EVERYDAY ITEMS LIKE
MAGNETS, ALCOHOL, THERMOMETERS, DENTAL WHITENING STRIPS, ADHESIVES, AEROSOLS, AND BLEACH.
When handling, storing and transporting such an “unreasonable threat,” a motor carrier must be able to communicate:
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to its employees on how to handle, store and load the materials;
to its drivers on what placards to display, papers to carry, and how to respond in an emergency;
to law enforcement on what hazardous cargo is inside the trailer;
to first responders on what measures they should take to contain any potentially released hazardous materials; and
to receivers on the nature of the freight being delivered.
The Hazardous Materials Compliance BASIC measures how well a motor carrier follows this chain of communication. Because of the nature of hazardous materials, each link in the communication chain requires exacting detail. To be sure, motor carriers transport hazardous materials (“hazmat”) safely every day. But exacting detail adds two components to hazardous materials compliance: knowledge before communication and documentation of the process. In the big picture, a motor carrier seeking to improve its Hazardous Materials Compliance BASIC must examine its performance at each link in the communication chain.
Who is responsible for this chain of communication? Ultimate responsibility resides with motor carrier management. Then, at each link in the chain, responsibility flows to the employees in identifying, handling, loading and transporting the hazardous materials or interacting with law enforcement, responders and receivers.
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