Many people consider a handful of industries as evergreen, meaning we as a society will always need them in the foreseeable future. The shipping industry is one of them. As more people take advantage of online shopping and a more interconnected global marketplace, shipping has only increased in necessity in recent years.
So if you’re looking for a steady career with room for growth, you should likely consider taking specialized shipping courses. The DOT hazmat shipping training courses can help elevate your career and make you stand out from other candidates for these lucrative jobs.
What are DOT hazmat shipping training courses?
Essentially, this specialized training equips you with the skills and knowledge you need to safely ship, handle, package, store, and transport materials that the government considers hazardous. The courses often include training in accident prevention, safely storing materials, and how to respond in the event of an emergency.
The length, style, and requirements for these training courses vary by the type of hazmat you might end up handling at your new job, but all of them ensure you’re prepared to get the materials safely from one destination to another. To help you better grasp what to expect from your DOT hazmat shipping training courses, we’ve broken them down into the most common nine categories you’ll likely learn about.
What are the 9 different types of hazmat shipping training courses?
Class 1 – Explosives
The explosives DOT hazmat shipping training course covers six different divisions, ranging from a mass explosion hazard, such as dynamite and blasting explosives, to extremely insensitive detonating substances. This includes extremely insensitive explosive articles, like fireworks or gunpowder.
Class 2 – Gases
The gases course helps you understand how to safely store and transport materials that could leak harmful gases and affect nearby surroundings and people. It’s divided up into three sections covering flammable gases, nonflammable gases, and toxic gases.
Class 3 – Flammable and combustible liquids
Any flammable or combustible liquid requires specialized handling to avoid accidents. The 3.1 and 3.2 DOT hazmat shipping training courses cover these materials. This includes items such as perfumes and paint, and the courses teach you how to avoid any problems while transporting them.
Class 4 – Flammable solids
This course is also divided into three subsections, covering flammable solids, spontaneously combustible material, and material that poses a danger when wet. Flammable solids include match sticks and desensitized solid explosives. Aluminum borohydride and oily rags fall under the spontaneously combustible materials, and barium and lithium metal are covered in the dangerous when wet material category.
Class 5 – Oxidizing substance and organic peroxide
Materials that can oxidize other items, like hydrogen peroxide and calcium chlorate, and organic peroxides, like ammonium nitrate fertilizers and accelerators, are also considered hazmat. The level 5 shipping courses cover these materials for safe handling.
Class 6 – Poisonous, toxic, and infectious substances
Divided into two divisions, the level 6 courses cover materials like nicotine, arsenic, and COVID-19 test samples. The instructions help prevent the spread of materials that can cause harm to those handling them.
Class 7 – Radioactive material
This hazmat requires especially careful shipping and handling, because it includes materials such as nuclear fuels. If not handled properly, these can cause extreme harm to those handling them and the surrounding environments.
Class 8 – Corrosive material
Things like lead acid batteries and degreasers can cause serious harm if not handled correctly. The next to last level of courses cover these materials.
Class 9 – Miscellaneous hazmat
The final course covers any remaining materials you might have to ship and handle. It covers things that pose environmental hazards, such as airbag modules and lithium batteries.
Are you ready for your DOT hazmat shipping training courses?
Contact CARGOpak Corp. We specialize in providing hazmat and dangerous goods training that your organization can rely on. You can find all our on-site training courses online, or get in touch to learn how we can help your organization.
