Title 49

SECTION 177.816

177.816 Driver training.

§ 177.816 Driver training.

(a) In addition to the training requirements of § 177.800, no carrier may transport, or cause to be transported, a hazardous material unless each hazmat employee who will operate a motor vehicle has been trained in the applicable requirements of 49 CFR parts 390 through 397 and the procedures necessary for the safe operation of that motor vehicle. Driver training shall include the following subjects:

(1) Pre-trip safety inspection;

(2) Use of vehicle controls and equipment, including operation of emergency equipment;

(3) Operation of vehicle, including turning, backing, braking, parking, handling, and vehicle characteristics including those that affect vehicle stability, such as effects of braking and curves, effects of speed on vehicle control, dangers associated with maneuvering through curves, dangers associated with weather or road conditions that a driver may experience (e.g., blizzards, mountainous terrain, high winds), and high center of gravity;

(4) Procedures for maneuvering tunnels, bridges, and railroad crossings;

(5) Requirements pertaining to attendance of vehicles, parking, smoking, routing, and incident reporting; and

(6) Loading and unloading of materials, including -

(i) Compatibility and segregation of cargo in a mixed load;

(ii) Package handling methods; and

(iii) Load securement.

(b) Specialized requirements for cargo tanks and portable tanks. In addition to the training requirement of paragraph (a) of this section, each person who operates a cargo tank or a vehicle with a portable tank with a capacity of 1,000 gallons or more must receive training applicable to the requirements of this subchapter and have the appropriate State-issued commercial driver's license required by 49 CFR part 383. Specialized training shall include the following:

(1) Operation of emergency control features of the cargo tank or portable tank;

(2) Special vehicle handling characteristics, including: high center of gravity, fluid-load subject to surge, effects of fluid-load surge on braking, characteristic differences in stability among baffled, unbaffled, and multi-compartmented tanks; and effects of partial loads on vehicle stability;

(3) Loading and unloading procedures;

(4) The properties and hazards of the material transported; and

(5) Retest and inspection requirements for cargo tanks.

(c) The training required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section may be satisfied by compliance with the current requirements for a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) with a tank vehicle or hazardous materials endorsement.

(d) Training required by paragraph (b) of this section must conform to the requirements of § 172.704 of this subchapter with respect to frequency and recordkeeping.

[Amdt. 177-79, 57 FR 20954, May 15, 1992, as amended by Amdt. 177-79, 58 FR 5852, Jan. 22, 1993]

---