This is a good time to review your training records. Make sure that the records are current and at the location where the employee works. Review exactly which employees need to be trained and the type of training that they will need. Be sensible in making that determination. Time and again we have seen an employer decide to train one or two employees out of a large group based upon the premise that "Mickey will handle all the dangerous goods". How will the other employees know whether to give the shipment to "Mickey" if they do not really know how to identify dangerous goods? What happens if the dangerous cargo slips through such a system? What does the employer do if "Mickey" is on vacation? Or out sick? Or is not on duty when the product comes on to the property during multiple work shift operations? Or "Mickey" is busy with another project?

Remember Murphy's Law - whatever can go wrong will go wrong!

Speaking of training:

49CFR Training for domestic U.S. Shippers and Carriers - We have added night classes from 6 PM to 10 PM Monday to Friday, August 6 to August 10, 2001. You will have to hurry on this class, which was added by special request. The fee is $475.00 and includes everything, including a light supper while you learn. You will have to call us at 516-593-0395 in order to register for this last-minute class.

Check out the "Training" link on this website for our August schedule which includes Hazmat Training for Warehouse & Airline Ramp Personnel, Initial and Recurrent Training for Shipping Dangerous Goods by Air.

HMAC is sponsoring a Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor Course in Baltimore from September 17-22. The course includes 5 full days of training and 1 full day of testing.
Companies that ship, transport, or store dangerous goods are required to have a Safety Advisor either on the payroll or as a consultant under European Union Regulations.

Having problems shipping or distributing dangerous goods in Europe? HMAC is also offering a European Road Transport of Dangerous Goods Course (ADR) in New Orleans on November 5-6, 2001, in conjunction with the HMAC 2001 Conference on Managing Hazmat Compliance, which is being held on November 8-9.

You can contact HMAC at www.hmac.org for more information.

R-A Specialists has sent staff members to both of the above-noted HMAC Training Programs and we recommend these programs. Yes, we are also members of HMAC.
You should consider having your company join, too.

Frustrated by Dangerous Goods?

• …by your shipment (delays, extra costs, double or triple handling, threats of fines).
• …by your shipper or supplier (never seems to get it right on the first try).
• …by your employees (who seem to keep screwing it up).
• …by Enforcement or Customs personnel because your shipment has been seized.
• More intense inspections are coming your way....and at night, too!
• U.S. and International Transportation Laws require that a shipment of dangerous goods must be in total compliance before it can be offered for transportation!
• U.S. and International Transportation Laws require that all persons who are involved with transporting dangerous goods or causing dangerous goods to be transported must be formally trained and tested and the hazmat employer must maintain their employees' training records at their work facility (not in the personnel department at the company's headquarters). See our U.S. FAA Link for fines of $50,000 or more - most involve failure to train employees.
• Do you know that approximately 20% of all small shippers use Chemtrec as their emergency contact? Do you also know that they are not all members of Chemtrec? It is a violation of U.S. Law to use an agency's phone number unless you are specifically authorized to do so in writing!
• Did you know that some countries require international access emergency phone numbers?
• Don't complain about the problem. Be constructive and offer a solution -

If you or your employees or your shippers can't supply the correct answers to the above questions you need training. If your shippers are causing your headaches, frustrations, and temper tantrums, gently suggest that they secure some hazmat training.