Hazmat Training FAQ

 

Operating in the 48 contiguous states, Silvicom, Inc., is a long and short-haul truckload carrier that provides reliable service for all types of shipping needs. Customer, employee, and public safety are high priorities for the company, so compliance with state and federal regulations is of the utmost importance. Such regulations are especially important for Silvicom, Inc., since it specializes in transporting hazardous material (hazmat) loads. Some common questions about hazmat training requirements according to U.S. Department of Transportation (US DOT) regulations are answered below.

Q: Who needs hazmat training?
A: The U.S. Department of Transportation requires that all employees of a company that directly affect the safety of transporting hazardous materials need to complete hazmat training.

Q: What type of training is required by US DOT?
A: There are three main types of hazmat training that all hazmat employees are required to receive: general awareness, security awareness, and function-specific training. More information can be found on the official US DOT site.

Q: How often do hazmat employees need to be trained?
A: Under US DOT requirements, all hazmat employees must complete training within 90 days of being hired. Then, once every three years, the training must be repeated.

Trucking Regulations - The Commercial Driver’s License

Established in 2009, Silvicom, Inc., of Melrose Park, Illinois, delivers high-quality transportation services to clients through the continental United States. All drivers of Silvicom, Inc., trucks have commercial driver’s licenses (CDL).

People interested in becoming truck drivers cannot do so with the usual drivers’ license. Instead, they must obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), which helps ensure that the drivers of commercial motor vehicles like trucks have the level of safety knowledge and experience to responsibly operate such vehicles.

Though each prospective driver secures his or her CDL through a particular state, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration actually sets CDL regulations nationwide. This means that though application processes may vary, every CDL holder in the United States goes through the same basic training.

Moreover, the federal government mandates that prospective CDL-holders must be 18 years of age or older and at least 21 years of age to cross state lines or haul hazardous cargo.