Missouri CDL Hazmat cheat sheet

Hazard classes: 1 explosives, 2 gases, 3 flammable/combustible liquids, 4 flammable solids, 5 oxidizers/organic peroxides, 6 toxic/infectious substances, 7 radioactive, 8 corrosives, 9 miscellaneous.

The hazard class number appears in the lower half of a placard; the four-digit UN/NA identification number appears in the center or on an orange panel.

Placards are required for 1,001 pounds or more aggregate gross weight of a hazard class in one vehicle, and always for any quantity of Table 2 materials, poisonous gases, and certain other high-hazard items.

A shipping paper must include the UN/NA number, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group, in that order, plus total quantity and emergency response phone number.

Emergency response information must accompany every hazardous materials shipment and may be the shipping paper, a guidebook, or a written plan.

The driver must keep shipping papers within reach while driving and in plain view when away from the vehicle; they are the first item given to an inspector.

Forbidden: smoking or carrying a lit smoking device within 25 feet of a vehicle carrying explosives, oxidizers, or flammable materials, and parking within 5 feet of a traveled roadway portion of a public street.

A hazmat endorsement requires a TSA Security Threat Assessment; a disqualifying criminal conviction or a felony involving a controlled substance within the last five years can block issuance.

Never load Division 1.1 or 1.2 explosives with Division 1.3, 1.4, or 1.5 materials, or with any other hazard class, unless the segregation table in 49 CFR 177.848 allows it.

Cyanides and acids must never be loaded together, and nitric acid must be kept separate from other acids, because mixing can release deadly or explosive gas.

Load and unload hazmat in a safe place away from crowds and traffic, and secure packages so they cannot shift; use dunnage and tie-downs and check securement before driving.

Cargo tanks and portable tanks must be loaded so that liquid has outage (ullage) space for expansion; a tank should not be filled beyond the level marked on the tank.

Before loading a tank, verify the tank's specification plate, markings, and that the previous product is compatible; tanks must be marked with the proper shipping name and the UN number.

A vehicle carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives must stop at all railroad crossings and check for an approaching train before proceeding.

When hazmat is leaking, park away from water sources and drains, keep people away, and notify emergency responders; do not attempt cleanup unless trained and equipped.

Attendance rules: a vehicle carrying hazardous materials must be attended by a qualified person at all times, except when parked at a secure facility or in limited circumstances defined by regulation.

Use the emergency response guidebook (ERG) to identify the guide number for a material; the guide gives initial isolation distances and protective actions for spills and fires.

For a spill, first isolate the area and keep upwind and uphill; the ERG's initial isolation distance is measured in all directions from the spill and may be increased by wind or fire.

A vehicle carrying hazardous materials must not be left unattended in a place where it could be struck, and should be parked away from tunnels, bridges, and heavily populated areas.

Never park within 300 feet of an open fire, and never park a hazmat vehicle within 5 feet of the traveled portion of a public roadway.

If a tire or brake fire occurs, stop, get everyone away, and call for help; burning tires produce toxic smoke, and heat can cause a tank to rupture (BLEVE).

A BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) can occur when a tank containing a liquefied gas is heated by fire; evacuate a wide area and keep upwind.

Report any hazmat incident to the carrier and to the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 when required by the release reporting rules.

If you must leave the vehicle, take the shipping papers with you and lock the vehicle; the papers are needed by responders to identify the material.

Placards are 10 3/4 inches square, placed on point, and must be readable from the direction they face; they are required on both sides and both ends of a vehicle.

The DANGEROUS placard may be used for shipments of two or more hazard classes that each require placarding, when the aggregate weight is 1,001 pounds or more.

The EMPTY placard may be used for a tank that has been emptied of a hazardous material and is not purged; it signals that residual material may be present.

The INHALATION HAZARD placard is required for materials that are toxic by inhalation (Packing Group I, hazard zone A or B), and the driver must use extreme caution.

A four-digit UN number on an orange panel is required for tank vehicles and for bulk packages; the number identifies the specific material for responders.

Hazardous materials labels go on the package itself; placards go on the vehicle. Labels are smaller (4 inches square) and use the same hazard class colors and symbols.

A shipping paper must be tabbed or highlighted so that the hazard information is easy to find, and it must be kept in a clearly visible location.

Division 2.1 flammable gases and Division 2.3 poisonous gases require special care; never transport a leaking cylinder, and keep cylinders upright and secured.

Division 6.2 infectious substances must be carried in a leakproof, rigid, sealed package, and the driver must not open or handle the package.

Division 7 radioactive materials: keep the vehicle closed and away from people; do not load radioactive material with food or animal feed, and do not smoke near it.

Division 8 corrosives can burn skin and corrode metal; if a leak contacts the vehicle, the structural integrity of the tank or container may be compromised.

Division 5.2 organic peroxides may require temperature control; if the temperature control fails, the material can decompose violently, so monitor and act immediately.

Division 4.1 flammable solids and Division 4.3 water-reactive materials must be kept dry; never use water on a spill of a water-reactive material.

Division 1.4 explosives may be carried with certain other materials under the segregation rules, but Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 must be kept separate from most other classes.

A driver must refuse to load or transport a package that is leaking, damaged, or improperly marked, and must report the problem to the shipper and carrier.

A hazardous materials shipping paper must include the proper shipping name and hazard class, the UN/NA number, the packing group, the total quantity, and an emergency response phone number.

The emergency response phone number must be monitored at all times the shipment is in transit, and the person answering must have access to the emergency response information.

A hazmat endorsement requires a knowledge test covering the hazardous materials regulations, loading, placarding, and emergency response; it is added to a Class A, B, or C CDL.

The endorsement must be renewed, and the TSA security threat assessment must be renewed every five years; a disqualifying event can result in revocation.

A driver must be at least 21 to drive a commercial vehicle across state lines and must hold a valid medical examiner's certificate.

A hazmat vehicle must carry a fire extinguisher rated at least 10 BC, and the driver must know how to use it.

A driver must not transport hazardous materials unless the vehicle is properly placarded and the shipping papers are complete and in the required location.

A driver must not use a hand-held mobile phone while driving, and must not text while driving; the rules apply to all CMV drivers, including hazmat.

A security awareness program trains drivers to recognize and report suspicious behavior, unauthorized persons near the vehicle, and unusual inquiries about the cargo.

Keep the vehicle locked and the keys controlled; do not discuss the cargo with strangers or post shipment details on social media.

If you suspect a security threat, do not confront anyone; move the vehicle to a safe place if possible and notify the carrier and local law enforcement.

Report a hijacking or suspicious activity to the carrier and to the Transportation Security Administration and local police; do not attempt to stop the theft yourself.

For a spill or leak, the first priority is to protect people: isolate the area, keep upwind, and call 911 and the National Response Center.

The ERG's guide number is found from the UN number or the material name; the guide gives evacuation distances and firefighting precautions.

A driver must not smoke, and must not allow anyone to smoke, within 25 feet of a vehicle carrying explosives, oxidizers, or flammable materials.

A driver must not refuel a vehicle carrying hazardous materials with the engine running, and must not leave the nozzle unattended.

During a roadside inspection, the inspector will check shipping papers, placards, package markings, securement, and the driver's endorsement and medical card.

A vehicle placed out of service for a hazmat violation must not be moved until the defect is corrected and the out-of-service order is cleared.

A driver must present the shipping papers, the CDL with the hazmat endorsement, and the medical examiner's certificate when requested by an enforcement officer.

A driver must not falsify a shipping paper, a placard, or a logbook; falsification is a serious violation and can result in loss of the endorsement.

A driver must ensure that the vehicle's placards match the cargo; a missing or wrong placard is a common cause of citations and out-of-service orders.

A driver must check that the shipping paper's emergency response phone number is current and that the response information is present.

A driver must not accept a package that is not marked with the proper shipping name and UN number, or that is leaking or damaged.

A driver must report any accident involving a hazmat release to the carrier immediately, and must follow the carrier's emergency response plan.