The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires all personnel working with Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) to undergo training. It also expects you and your team to comply with and train on the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. Learn more about these regulations to ensure safe handling of materials.
What Is the IMDG Code?
The IMDG code is a set of rules the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations (UN) agency, publishes to guide the shipping of unsafe articles by sea. It covers details such as packing, stowing and transporting dangerous items.
DOT is the competent authority responsible for enforcing IMDG rules in the United States.
Employees Who Need Training
You need IMDG Code certification if you conduct any of the following tasks:
- Identifying and classifying shipping names for dangerous materials
- Packing and repacking harmful stock into packages
- Preparing safety documents
- Filling tanks with hazardous goods
- Manufacturing products with high-risk items
- Palletizing harmful stock
- Labeling packages containing HAZMAT
- Preparing and signing shipping documents
- Loading unsafe materials into vehicles
- Handling the booking of harmful merchandise
- Receiving high-risk items for shipping
- Readying stowage plans
- Loading and unloading unsafe items from aircraft and cargo liners
- Inspecting hazardous articles
How Often Should Training Occur?
According to IMDG rules, your staff should refresh their training every three years. Retraining allows workers to perform their duties legally. DOT imposes penalties for failing to train personnel.
HAZMAT employees must also update their training when their role changes or regulators upgrade the guidelines.
Training Records
Your staff members’ training records should include the following information:
- The employee’s name
- A copy or description of the learning materials
- Name and address of the training provider
- A certificate proving the employee received HAZMAT education
- The most recent date the personnel completed training
Finding the Right Course Provider
Consider these factors when looking for a course provider to train your staff:
- Accessibility: Online classes are easy to access and enable personnel to pace themselves.
- Certification: Enroll with a training provider that offers a certificate meeting regulatory requirements.
- Retraining courses: Since unsafe materials courses require retraining every few years, it’s important to enroll in a school that offers refresher courses.
- Affordability: Go for a provider that enables you to pay an affordable rate for team enrollment.
- Assistance: Search for a school that provides 24/7 assistance in case your employees have questions during the coaching.
Stay Compliant With Hazmat School
Partner with Hazmat School to train your employees. We offer online IMDG programs that meet regulatory requirements. If you’re enrolling a team, we’ll give you a discount for more cost-effective enrollment. We also provide 24/7 instructor assistance and issue certificates once learners complete their classes. Professionals can retake our modules when it’s time to refresh their training.
Learn about our IMDG course and enroll your employees today.
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
