Public Resource Page
Training Requirements
Who counts as a hazmat employee, and the three categories of training the HMR requires.
Who Counts as a "Hazmat Employee"
The training rule applies to anyone who loads, unloads, handles, packages, marks, labels, placards, prepares shipping papers for, or otherwise transports hazardous materials — not just drivers. If a dispatcher classifies a shipment or a warehouse worker loads it, they're a hazmat employee for training purposes too.
The Three Required Training Categories
- General awareness/familiarization — understanding what the HMR requires and why
- Function-specific — training tied to the employee's actual hazmat-related tasks
- Safety training — emergency response information, exposure risks, and measures to prevent incidents
Recurrent training is required at least once every three years, and new employees can perform hazmat functions before completing training only if directly supervised by a properly trained person.
Free Resources
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49 CFR Part 172, Subpart H — Training
eCFR
The full binding rule on who needs training, the three required categories, and the 3-year recurrence cycle.
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Hazmat Transportation Training Requirements
PHMSA
A plain-language fact sheet covering the same training requirements in practical terms.