Emergency Response, Incidents, and Reporting
When a hazardous materials incident occurs, the driver's first priorities are safety and notification. Candidates must know the sequence: protect yourself and others, then notify emergency responders and the carrier, and report the incident as required. The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) is the primary reference, organized by UN number and by guide number, with initial isolation and protective action distances for certain materials.
A frequent trap is assuming the driver should attempt to clean up a spill; instead, the driver should keep people away and let trained responders handle it. Questions also test reporting requirements: certain incidents (such as a release of a reportable quantity, a fire, or an injury) must be reported to the National Response Center and to state and local authorities. The shipping paper's emergency response phone number is used for guidance. Another trap: confusing the ERG guide number with the hazard class.
Rule of thumb: isolate, notify, and do not touch - the driver secures the scene and calls for help rather than cleaning up.
Worked example: A drum leaks on the highway. The driver should move upwind, keep traffic away, call 911 and the emergency response number on the shipping paper, and report the release as required - not attempt to stop the leak by hand.