Hazardous Materials
Hazardous Materials tests knowledge required when carrying regulated quantities: shipping papers, placards, labels, emergency response, and parking rules. Even general-knowledge drivers must recognize hazards.
Paperwork and markings
Carry shipping papers within reach, and know the proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number, quantity, and emergency response telephone. Placards warn others; labels are on packages. Do not accept a load with missing or inconsistent papers. Keep shipping papers in a pouch on the driver's door or in clear view.
Parking and incidents
Avoid parking near people, bridges, tunnels, or crowded places. Never smoke near hazmat. At railroad crossings, stop as required and look both ways. If a leak or spill occurs, keep people away, call emergency services, and use the emergency response guide; do not attempt a cleanup beyond your training.
Worked example
A placard says flammable liquid, but the shipping paper lists a nonflammable class. Reasoning: the mismatch means the load may be misdocumented. Do not move until it is corrected and verified.
Traps
Parking in a populated area, ignoring placard/paper mismatches, and smoking near a hazmat load are mark-losers. You are responsible for knowing what you carry.