Who is a hazmat employer? Who is a hazmat employee?

Why is it important to know these definitions? If your company meets the criteria for a “hazmat employer” then you will need to train and test your “hazmat employees” according the US DOT training requirements.

These definitions are taken from 49 CFR.

§171.8   Definitions and abbreviations

Hazmat employee means:

(1) A person who is:

(i) Employed on a full-time, part time, or temporary basis by a hazmat employer and who in the course of such full time, part time or temporary employment directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety;

(ii) Self-employed (including an owner-operator of a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft) transporting hazardous materials in commerce who in the course of such self-employment directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety;

(iii) A railroad signalman; or (iv) A railroad maintenance-of-way employee

(2) This term includes an individual, employed on a full time, part time, or temporary basis by a hazmat employer, or who is self-employed, who during the course of employment:

(i) Loads, unloads, or handles hazardous materials;

(ii) Designs, manufactures, fabricates, inspects, marks, maintains, reconditions, repairs, or tests a package, container or packaging component that is represented, marked, certified, or sold as qualified for use in transporting hazardous material in commerce.

(iii) Prepares hazardous materials for transportation;

(iv) Is responsible for safety of transporting hazardous materials;

(v) Operates a vehicle used to transport hazardous materials.

Hazmat employer means:

(1) A person who employs or uses at least one hazmat employee on a full-time, part time, or temporary basis; and who:

(i) Transports hazardous materials in commerce;

(ii) Causes hazardous materials to be transported in commerce; or

(iii) Designs, manufactures, fabricates, inspects, marks, maintains, reconditions, repairs or tests a package, container, or packaging component that is represented, marked, certified, or sold by that person as qualified for use in transporting hazardous materials in commerce;

(2) A person who is self-employed (including an owner-operator of a motor vehicle, vessel, or aircraft) transporting materials in commerce; and who:

(i) Transports hazardous materials in commerce;

(ii) Causes hazardous materials to be transported in commerce; or

(iii) Designs, manufactures, fabricates, inspects, marks, maintains, reconditions, repairs or tests a package, container, or packaging component that is represented, marked, certified, or sold by that person as qualified for use in transporting hazardous materials in commerce; or

(3) A department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, or an authority of a State, political subdivision of a State, or an Indian tribe; and who:

(i) Transports hazardous materials in commerce;

(ii) Causes hazardous materials to be transported in commerce; or

(iii) Designs, manufactures, fabricates, inspects, marks, maintains, reconditions, repairs or tests a package, container, or packaging component that is represented, marked, certified, or sold by that person as qualified for use in transporting hazardous materials in commerce.