Hazardous Material Transportation
Compliance and Safety
at the University of Wisconsin—Madison
SEE TRAINING SCHEDULE
What are the laws for handling and transporting hazardous material?
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and other agencies strictly regulate the transport of hazardous material. Failure to comply with these laws risks the safety of people who drive, fly or transport hazardous material. Non-compliance is also subject to large fines (up to $27,500 per violation) and, in egregious cases, imprisonment.
What is hazardous material?
At UW-Madison, examples of hazardous material includes alcohol, acid, solvents, compressed gas, dry ice, most laboratory samples and chemicals, radioactive material, as well as certain cleaners, pesticides and paint. Any package that arrives with a diamond-shaped DOT label is a hazardous material.
What is required to ship or receive hazardous material?
Whenever transported to or from campus, hazardous material must be handled, packaged, labeled, marked and transported according to specific federal requirements. People who perform these and other functions must be trained and certified.
Who must be trained to handle shipments of hazardous material?
Training and certification is required if you:
- Load, unload or handle shipments of hazardous material.
- Prepare hazardous material for transport.
- Operate a vehicle used to transport hazardous material.
Employees who work in receiving areas or loading docks need to be trained and certified, as do employees who handle hazardous material shipments. Be sure that trained personnel supervise all shipments—even if others prepare the package, or if you only follow shipping directions. New employees who may handle or ship hazardous material must attend training and be certified prior to performing those duties. Refresher training is required every three years.
How can I receive the required training and certificate? SEE TRAINING SCHEDULE
Contact the Environment, Health & Safety Department to obtain training or to find a class. The Environment, Health & Safety Department offers certification and training for chemical, biological and radioactive material. We can provide basic and function-specific training.
Who is my department’s Hazardous Material Transportation Coordinator?
Departments in which hazardous material is used have a designated UW-Madison Hazardous Material Transportation Coordinator. Coordinators are trained to understand basic DOT requirements, recognize hazardous material shipments, and guide others to resources. Contact the Environment, Health & Safety Department for the name of your department’s Hazardous Material Transportation Coordinator.
Where can I get more information about transporting hazardous material?
For transporting infectious substances or biological material, contact the Environment, Health & Safety Department’s Biological Safety Office at 3-9026.
Radioactive material is shipped by the Environment, Health & Safety Department’s Radiation Safety program. Call Victor Goretsky (890-2039) or Abdul BenZikri at (262-9748) to arrange a shipment.
For other information, contact Kurt Kellesvig at the Environment, Health & Safety Department at 262-9644.
|
