Containers of corrosive materials should be kept in their correct upright positions. They should not be dropped or rolled.

At a minimum, emergency response information must include the basic descriptions and technical names of the materials being transported; immediate hazards to health; risks of fire or explosion; immediate precautions to be taken in the event of an accident or incident; immediate methods for handling fires; initial methods for handling spills or leaks in the absence of fires; and preliminary first aid measures.

You must have a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement to operate a vehicle of any size to transport hazardous materials.

When the vehicle is being driven, hazardous materials' shipping papers must be kept in a pouch on the driver's door or somewhere else that is in clear view and within the driver's reach. If the driver is outside of the vehicle, the shipping papers should be kept on the driver's seat.

If you are transporting radioactive material and believe there is a leak or broken package in your cargo, you should tell your dispatcher or supervisor as quickly as possible. Do not touch or inhale the material. Do not use the vehicle until it has been cleaned or checked with a survey meter.

The shipper of hazardous materials is responsible for using the hazardous materials regulations to determine the product's identification number, proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group. They are also responsible for determining the correct packaging, labels, markings, and placards to use.

When the shipper packages hazardous materials, they certify that the package has been prepared according to Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Unless a package is clearly unsafe or noncomplying with HMR, you may accept the shipper’s certification concerning the proper packaging of a material.

Unless your engine runs a pump for product transfer, turn it off when loading or unloading a compressed gas tank. If you do use your engine to run a pump, you should turn the engine off after the product transfer but before unhooking the hoses.

Hazardous materials packages with containers of liquid inside must have orientation markings with arrows pointing in the direction that should be upright.

As a resource to police and firefighters, the National Response Center helps coordinate emergency response to chemical hazards.

One clue that a shipment may contain hazardous materials is that the shipper is in a line of business that you would expect to involve hazardous materials. Examples of such businesses include paint dealers, chemical suppliers, scientific supply houses, pest control companies, agricultural suppliers, and dealers in explosives, fireworks, or munitions.

A shipping paper describes the hazardous materials being transported. Shipping orders, bills of lading, and manifests are all shipping papers.

When marking hazardous materials in an "HM" column on a shipping paper, the letters "RQ" may be used instead of an "X" if a reportable quantity of the material must be identified.

In general, vehicles carrying hazardous materials are required to display diamond-shaped warning signs on all four sides. These warning signs are called "placards."

Containers of hazardous materials must be braced so that they will not fall, slide, or bounce around during transportation.

If you need to refuel a vehicle carrying hazardous materials, you must first turn off the engine. While refueling, someone must be at the nozzle and controlling the fuel flow at all times.

There are nine different classes of hazardous materials. A class reflects the risks associated with a type of material.

Hazardous materials are products that pose risks to health, safety, and property during transportation. Materials that are considered hazardous include explosives; flammable and poisonous gases; and flammable and other hazardous solids.

Shippers must retain a physical copy or an electronic image of hazardous materials shipping papers for a minimum of two years after the materials are accepted by the initial carrier. For hazardous waste, this increases to three years.

The use of cargo heaters is not always permitted. When transporting materials that are categorized as Class 1 (Explosives), Class 2.1 (Flammable Gas), or Class 3 (Flammable Liquids) materials, heaters are generally prohibited.

If transporting any amount of chlorine, a driver must always stop at a railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest track.

Hazardous materials placards must be positioned so any words or numbers can be read from left to right. They must be at least three inches away from any other markings.

A material's ID number must appear on its accompanying shipping paper as well as on its packaging. It must also appear on cargo tanks and other bulk packaging.

You should examine your tires at the beginning of every trip and after every stop to ensure that they are properly inflated. The only acceptable way to check tire pressure is to use a tire pressure gauge.

If the letter “G,” for "Generic," is written in Column 1 of a shipping paper, the technical name of the associated hazardous material must also be listed.

If a cargo leak develops while you are carrying hazardous materials, do not continue driving any farther than safety requires. The farther you drive, the larger the contaminated area will become. You should park the vehicle, secure the area, and stay with the vehicle while sending someone else to get help.

Hazardous materials should always be loaded away from heat sources. Many materials become more hazardous if their temperatures increase.

There are nine different hazard classes. A material's hazard class reflects its associated risks.

To obtain an original or renewed hazardous materials endorsement, you must pass a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) background check.

Shippers must place diamond-shaped hazard warning labels on most packages of hazardous materials. If the label won't fit on the package, it can be placed on a tag that is securely attached to the package.