In general, a shipper is required to list an emergency response telephone number on hazardous materials' shipping papers. There are some exceptions to this rule.

Many hazardous materials become more dangerous when exposed to heat. Hazardous materials should be loaded and unloaded away from heat sources.

If a shipping paper describes both hazardous and non-hazardous materials, the hazardous materials must be distinguished in one of three ways. They must be entered first on the shipping paper, highlighted in a contrasting color, or marked with an "X" in a column titled "HM."

If you are driving a vehicle that is transporting Class 1 explosives and it is involved in an accident, you should warn others of the danger, keep bystanders away, and not allow smoking or open fires near the vehicle. Before separating the vehicles involved in the collision, remove all explosives and place them at least 200 feet away from the vehicles and any occupied buildings.

Cargo tanks remain on a vehicle at all times, regardless of whether or not they are carrying cargo. Portable tanks are bulk packaging and are not permanently attached to a vehicle.

When transporting hazardous materials, shipping papers should be kept in a pouch in the driver's side door, or in another location where the driver is able to easily reach them while their seat belt is fastened. The papers must be easily visible to anyone who is entering the cab.

If a substance is being transported in a reportable quantity, the shipper must display the letters "RQ" on the shipping paper and package.

The person in charge of loading or unloading a hazardous materials cargo tank must ensure that a qualified person is always supervising the process. The supervisor must be alert; have a clear view of the tank; be within 25 feet of the tank; know the hazards of the involved materials; know the procedures to follow in the case of an emergency; and be authorized to and capable of moving the tank.

Before loading or unloading a tank with flammable liquids, you should turn off the engine, unless running the engine is necessary to operate a pump.

Because of the risks presented by the nature of the materials, government on federal, state, and local levels may impose regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials.

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

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.

Before loading or unloading a tank with flammable liquids, you should turn off the engine, unless running the engine is necessary to operate a pump. Ground the tank before opening the filling hole and maintain the ground until after closing the filling hole.

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

A driver transporting chlorine in cargo tanks must keep an approved gas mask and an emergency kit in their vehicle.

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.

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 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.

Column 2 of the Hazardous Materials Table lists the proper shipping names and descriptions of regulated materials.

Radioactive materials are categorized as Class 7 hazardous materials.

Always turn off your vehicle's engine before loading or unloading explosive materials. Never drop, throw, or roll packages containing explosives.

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

When a shipper packages hazardous materials, they are certifying that the package has been prepared in accordance with its applicable rules.

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.

A vehicle carrying hazardous materials must be appropriately placarded to be driven. An improperly placarded vehicle may only be driven if necessary to protect life or property in an emergency.

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

In the event of a leak in a cargo of hazardous materials, do not continue to drive any longer than is necessary for safety. Continuing to drive would result in a larger area becoming contaminated. Instead, park the vehicle, secure the area, stay with the vehicle, and send someone to get help.

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

Use a floor lining when transporting Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 materials. The floors should be tight and the liner must be made from either non-metallic material or non-ferrous metal. Non-ferrous metals are metals that do not contain iron or iron alloys.

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.