NATEC moves DOT hazmat ground shipper training online for new hires

NATEC International has launched a self-paced online DOT hazmat ground shipper course as employers face a 90-day federal deadline to train new hazmat employees. The 13-hour program covers shipment prep from classification to carrier handoff and is built for workers who handle hazardous materials by ground.

Why it matters: - Federal rules give employers 90 days from hire or a job change to train hazmat employees under 49 CFR 172.704. - Employers carry the compliance risk until training is complete. - Improper classification, packaging or labeling can create safety risks for drivers, dock workers, emergency responders and the public. - Training violations are easy for inspectors to confirm because records either exist or do not.

What happened: - NATEC International, Inc., a Fountain Valley, California-based environmental health and safety training company, put its DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Training online in a self-paced format. - The 13-hour course is also known as HM-181 employee training. - The program is aimed at people who prepare and offer hazardous materials for highway transport, including shipping and receiving staff, warehouse and dock workers, packers, production and laboratory personnel, EHS and compliance officers, supervisors, and employees who sign shipping papers or hazardous waste manifests or load and unload vehicles. - No prior hazmat training is required.

The details: - The course follows the shipment process step by step, starting with hazardous materials classification. - Learners assign hazard class, packing group and proper shipping name using the Hazardous Materials Table. - The training covers authorized packaging selection, UN packaging markings, and filling and closing packages to DOT standards. - The documentation section includes shipping paper preparation, the shipper’s certification and completion of a Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest. - The course also covers marking, labeling and placarding requirements. - Loading, unloading, segregation and carrier hand-off procedures are included. - The curriculum addresses the Emergency Response Guidebook, incident reporting, exceptions, special permits and security awareness requirements. - Each module includes interactive games and knowledge checks. - The training includes a case study of common DOT violations and worked examples tied to dock, shipping desk and warehouse decisions. - The course ends with a final written exam. - Learners who pass receive a certificate of completion. - The course qualifies for 13 REHS continuing education units through CDPH, and that credit must be requested before the course begins. - Employees who already completed initial training can take NATEC’s four-hour DOT hazmat ground shipper recurrent course to meet the three-year refresher requirement. - NATEC training programs are also available in classroom, online, in-person and virtual formats.

Between the lines: - NATEC is positioning the online format as a way for employers to meet federal training deadlines without pulling workers off the floor for two full days of classroom instruction. - The course packaging suggests NATEC is trying to make regulatory training feel closer to the actual shipment workflow, rather than a read-through of rules. - A customer quote from GENI underscores the value of linking regulations to day-to-day shipping decisions. - A quote from NATEC says the online course is meant to help companies meet the standard on their own schedule.

What's next: - Employers can register for the course at course registration or contact NATEC International at (800) 969-3228 or training@NATECintl.com. - Employers and safety managers can also review NATEC’s full training catalog at NATEC International's training catalog. - NATEC's social channels are available on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and X.

The bottom line: - NATEC is betting that online, self-paced hazmat training will help employers comply with a strict federal deadline while keeping operations moving.