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

Always protect containers of hazardous materials. When loading hazardous materials, never use equipment that could damage containers or packaging, such as hooks.

Shippers package hazardous materials in a way that is meant to completely contain the materials. Vehicles should be placarded to communicate the risk of the cargo.

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

You must take and pass the written English version of the HazMat knowledge test and be cleared through a federal background check before every renewal of your CDL.

If you are experiencing a truck fire, you should not attempt to open trailer doors without first feeling the doors to see if they are hot. If the doors are hot, there may be a cargo fire. In this case, leave the doors closed because opening the doors could worsen the fire by supplying it with more oxygen.

When required, hazardous materials placards must be placed on all four sides of a vehicle transporting hazardous materials.

Packages containing liquid containers should display arrows pointing in the correct upright direction. These packages should be placed facing the correct direction.

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.

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

You must have a commercial driver license with a hazardous materials endorsement before driving a vehicle of any size that is used to transport hazardous materials, even if the vehicle is not transporting hazardous materials at the time of operation.

While shippers of hazardous materials are responsible for providing necessary placards, it is the driver's responsibility to actually place them on the vehicle.

Keep liquid discharge valves on a compressed gas tank closed except when loading and unloading.

Brace containers so they will not fall, slide, or bounce around during transportation. All hazardous materials packages must be secured.

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.

Except when parking briefly to perform necessary functions for vehicle operation (such as refueling), never park a vehicle carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives within 300 feet of a bridge, tunnel, or building. Never park such a vehicle within five feet of the traveled portion of the road.

Packages that contain liquid containers must have orientation markers. Arrows displayed on the box should be pointing in the correct upright direction.

If you discover a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, identify the materials in question by using the shipping papers, labels, or package location. Do not touch the leaking material.

If your vehicle breaks down while you are transporting explosives and you need to use warning signals, use reflective triangles or red electric lights. Never use burning signals, such as flares or fuses, when transporting explosives.

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

You must examine each tire on a motor vehicle at the beginning of each trip. The only effective way to check tire pressure is by using a tire pressure gauge.

While the manual contains all of the information needed to pass the written exam for a hazardous materials endorsement, it does not contain all of the information necessary to do the job safely. You can learn more by attending hazardous materials training courses.

Parts of a vehicle that have been exposed to corrosive liquids must be thoroughly washed with water.

A person attending a placarded vehicle must be awake inside the vehicle or otherwise within 100 feet of the vehicle; know the hazards associated with the materials; know what to do in an emergency; and be able and authorized to move the tank if necessary.

If your vehicle has cargo tanks that are used to carry hazardous materials, you must stop before crossing railroad tracks. This is true whether the tanks are full or empty.

Keep liquid discharge valves on a compressed gas tank closed, except when loading and unloading.

If you discover that a cargo of hazardous materials is leaking from your vehicle, you should park the vehicle as soon as possible. The longer you continue driving, the longer the trail of contamination becomes. While this creates potential danger and harm to others, it also increases clean-up expenses.

To drive a vehicle of any size that is used to transport hazardous materials, you must have a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement.

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

For applicable materials, the "Poison Inhalation Hazard" placard and the appropriate hazard class placard must always be displayed, even for small amounts of the materials.