Oklahoma State University Policy and Procedures

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS: TRAINING HAZMAT EMPLOYEES

3-0837 Business & External Relations January 1997

INTRODUCTION

1.01 This Policy and Procedures Letter details Oklahoma State University's compliance with the Hazardous Materials Employee training requirements of CFR49 Parts 171-177 as stated in Docket No. HM-126F, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA), and the Hazardous Materials Transportation Uniform Safety Act of 1990 (HMTUSA).

1.02 "Hazmat Employers" are required to train their "Hazmat Employees" regarding the safe transportation of hazardous materials. The acts require coordination of rules to avoid conflicts with other federal agency rules.

1.03 Definitions

1. Hazmat Employer -- uses one or more employees to:
   1. Transport hazardous materials in commerce,
   2. Cause hazardous materials to be transported or shipped in commerce, or
   3. Represent, mark, certify, sell, offer, recondition, test, repair, or modify containers, drums, or packages as qualified for use in the transportation of hazardous materials.
2. Hazmat Employee -- employed by a Hazmat Employer in a manner that directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety. Activities of a Hazmat employee include:
   1. Loads, unloads, or handles hazardous materials,
   2. Tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise represents containers, drums, or packaging as qualified for use in the transportation of hazardous materials,
   3. Prepares hazardous materials for transportation,
   4. Responsible for safety of transporting hazardous materials, or
   5. Operates a vehicle used to transport hazardous materials.

1.04 Examples of Hazmat Employees requiring training:

1. A person determining whether a material is a hazardous material,
2. A person designing, producing, and/or selling a packing for hazardous materials,
3. A person determining proper packaging for a hazardous material,
4. A person who puts the hazardous material in the package,
5. A person who marks and labels the package,
6. A person who fills out shipping papers,
7. A person who loads or unloads the hazardous material,
8. A person who moves the packaging in a warehouse during the course of transportation,
9. A person who operates a vehicle transporting the materials.

1.05 Training used to satisfy other federal hazardous material safety programs may be used in part or in full to satisfy these requirements.

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

1. General Awareness/Familiarization Training
2. Function-specific Training
3. Safety Training
4. Driver Training
5. Testing and Certification
6. Training Record Keeping

OSU'S TRAINING PROGRAM

2.01 General Awareness and Safety Training will be given to each employee in conjunction with the "Right to Know" (RTK) training. RTK training will be augmented by a DOT General Awareness video and the use of a wall poster listing the hazardous materials classifications.

2.02 Driver Training will be provided by a computer interactive program available on the Internet and by diskette.

2.03 The Safety Training Coordinator at Environmental Health Services (EHS) will provide assistance and materials for the training in 3.01 and 3.02.

2.04 Function Specific training will be given to a Dangerous Good Unit (DUG). The unit will be responsible for determining the hazard level and overseeing the shipping process including packaging, marking, labeling, documenting, and shipping all hazardous materials.

2.05 The Dangerous Goods Unit will be composed of trained staff from EHS and University Mailing Services (UMS). They are to be contacted immediately when potentially hazardous materials are to be shipped.

2.06 Training is required within 90 days of hiring and at least every two years there after.

2.07 OSU must certify that all Hazmat Employees have been trained and tested. A record of this training must be created and maintained for each Hazmat Employee for the length of employment plus 90 days.

TRAINING RESPONSIBILITIES

3.01 Department heads will be responsible for:

1. Giving General Awareness and Safety Training to all employees within the above time standards,
2. Requiring Driver Training for employees transporting Hazardous Materials in commerce,
3. Reporting general and driver training times, dates, names, and test certification to EHS, and
4. Requiring departmental use of the Dangerous Goods Unit (DUG).

3.02 EHS and UMS will be responsible for training their respective DUG personnel, reporting that training, and staffing the unit to meet campus needs.

3.03 EHS will be responsible for OSU record keeping for hazardous materials training.

For additional information on hazardous materials handling please see Policy and Procedures Letter 3-0535 and 3-0838.

Approved: January 1997

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