Cargo Tanks, Tank Vehicles, and Bulk Hazardous Materials
Tank vehicle basics
A tank vehicle carries bulk hazardous materials in a permanently mounted tank or a portable tank. Cargo tanks must be marked with the proper shipping name and identification number, and must be placarded for the material carried. The tank itself is a packaging with a specification, and the driver must confirm that the tank is authorized for the material and that the markings match the shipping paper.
Loading and unloading
Before loading or unloading, the driver must set the parking brake, chock the wheels where required, and ensure the vehicle is not left unattended. The driver must verify that the tank is vented properly and that the transfer equipment is bonded and grounded where flammable liquids are involved. Overfilling must be avoided, and the driver must account for expansion of the product.
Traps to watch
Questions often test the bonding and grounding requirement for flammable liquids, the need to attend the vehicle during transfer, and the rule that a tank vehicle must not be left unattended during loading or unloading. Another trap is assuming that a portable tank follows the same rules as a cargo tank; the specifications and markings differ.
Worked example
While unloading gasoline from a cargo tank, the driver must stay at the controls, keep the vehicle attended, and ensure bonding and grounding are connected before product flows.
Rule of thumb
Before any transfer: brake set, wheels chocked, vehicle attended, bonding and grounding in place for flammables.
Security Awareness and Safety Procedures
Security awareness
Hazardous materials are potential targets for theft and misuse, and drivers are part of the security layer. Drivers should know which materials in their load are high consequence, keep the vehicle locked, avoid discussing the load with strangers, and report suspicious questions, surveillance, or attempts to divert the vehicle. Parking should be in secure, well-lit areas, and the vehicle should not be left running and unattended.
Personal safety procedures
Drivers should use personal protective equipment appropriate to the material, avoid eating or smoking around hazardous materials, and follow the emergency response information. The driver should know the location of the shipping papers and emergency response information at all times, and should keep a flashlight and gloves available.
Traps to watch
Questions often test whether a driver should give a stranger information about the load or allow an unauthorized person to approach the vehicle. The answer is to refuse and report. Another trap is the assumption that security is only the shipper's responsibility; the driver shares it. A third trap is failing to recognize that a placarded vehicle parked in an unsecured area is a security risk even if the cargo is not high consequence.
Worked example
A stranger at a truck stop asks what you are carrying and where you are going. You should not disclose the load, should keep the vehicle locked, and should report the contact to your dispatcher.
Rule of thumb
Protect the information as carefully as the cargo: lock up, stay alert, and report anything unusual.