Commercial driver’s license (CDL) knowledge tests · California DMV
HazMat emergencies and reporting
Questions and answers
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What is the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)?
A DOT guidebook that helps firefighters, police, and industry workers protect themselves and the public from HazMat
DOT publishes the guidebook to help responders protect themselves and the public.
Section 9 · 9.7.1 – Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) ↗ -
How is the Emergency Response Guidebook indexed?
By proper shipping name and HazMat ID number
Responders look up the proper shipping name or ID number from the shipping paper, which is why these must be correct.
Section 9 · 9.7.1 – Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) ↗ -
At the scene of a HazMat accident, when should you try to limit the spread of the material?
Only if you can safely do so
Limiting the spread is part of your job only when it can be done safely.
Section 9 · 9.7.2 – Accidents/Incidents ↗ -
What do you give emergency responders at the scene of a HazMat accident?
The shipping papers and emergency response information
Provide responders with the shipping papers and emergency response information, and tell them about the danger.
Section 9 · 9.7.2 – Accidents/Incidents ↗ -
Where should you keep people at the scene of a HazMat incident?
Far away and upwind
Keep people far away and upwind of the scene.
Section 9 · 9.7.2 – Accidents/Incidents ↗ -
What is the first item on the handbook’s checklist after a HazMat accident?
Check that your driving partner is okay
The checklist starts with your driving partner, then papers, keeping people away, warning others, calling for help, and following employer instructions.
Section 9 · 9.7.2 – Accidents/Incidents ↗ -
After a HazMat accident, what do you do with the shipping papers?
Keep them with you
Keep the shipping papers with you so you can give them to emergency personnel.
Section 9 · 9.7.2 – Accidents/Incidents ↗ -
When should a driver fight a HazMat fire?
Only with the training and equipment to do so safely
HazMat fires need special training and protective gear. Without them, do not fight the fire.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
What may you use your fire extinguisher for before firefighters arrive?
Keeping a minor truck fire from spreading to the cargo
The extinguisher may be used to keep minor truck fires from reaching the cargo.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
You suspect a fire in your trailer. What do you do before opening the doors?
Feel the doors to see if they are hot
Feel the trailer doors first. Heat means there may be a cargo fire.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
The trailer doors feel hot. Why should you leave them closed?
Opening them lets air in and may make the fire flare up
Without air, many fires only smolder until firefighters arrive and do less damage.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
Your HazMat cargo is already on fire. What does the handbook say?
It is not safe to fight the fire
Do not fight it. Keep the shipping papers to give to emergency personnel, warn people, and keep them away.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
How do you identify which HazMat is leaking?
Use the shipping papers, labels, or package location
Identify the leak from shipping papers, labels, or where the package is. Do not touch the material.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
Why should you never try to find the source of a leak by smell?
Toxic gases can destroy your sense of smell and injure or kill you, even if they do not smell
Some toxic gases have no smell and can destroy your sense of smell, injure you, or kill you.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
What must you never do around a HazMat leak or spill?
Eat, drink, or smoke
Never eat, drink, or smoke around a leak or spill.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
HazMat is spilling from your vehicle. How far may you move the vehicle?
No more than safety requires
Do not move the vehicle more than safety requires. You may move off the road and away from people if that serves safety.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
At a rest area you find your HazMat load is slowly leaking and your phone does not work. What do you do?
Stay with the vehicle and send someone else for help
Never keep driving with a leak to look for a phone or help. Park, secure the area, stay there, and send someone for help.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
Who pays for cleaning up contaminated parking lots, roadways, and drainage ditches?
The carrier
The carrier pays for the cleanup, and the costs are enormous, so do not leave a long trail of contamination.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
Which steps does the handbook list when HazMat is spilling from your vehicle?
Park it, secure the area, stay there, and call for help by cell phone or CB
Park, secure the area, stay, and call for help. If the phone or CB does not work, send someone else.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
You send a passerby for help. Which of these should you give that person?
Your exact location and direction of travel
Give a description of the emergency, your exact location and direction of travel, names, and the shipping name, hazard class, and ID number if known.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
When sending someone for help, which names should you give?
Your name, the carrier’s name, and the community or city where your terminal is located
The person takes your name, the carrier’s name, and the city or community of your terminal.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
What is a good way to make sure the person you send for help passes on all the details?
Write the information down for them
It is a lot to remember, so write it down. A phone photo of the shipping papers and emergency contact information may be quicker.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
When must you never move your leaking vehicle?
When moving it will cause contamination or damage the vehicle
Never move the vehicle if that will cause contamination or damage it.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
What should you do about leaking containers?
Never try to repack them
Never repack leaking containers, and do not try repairs without the training and equipment to do it safely.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
With a leaking load, which places should you keep away from and upwind of?
Roadside rest stops, truck stops, cafes, and businesses
Stay upwind and away from places where people are, such as rest stops, truck stops, cafes, and businesses.
Section 9 · 9.7.3 – Fires ↗ -
Vehicles carrying explosives are involved in an accident. What must be done before the vehicles are separated?
Remove all explosives
All explosives are removed before the vehicles are pulled apart.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
How far from vehicles and occupied buildings must explosives removed after an accident be placed?
At least 200 feet
Place the explosives at least 200 feet from vehicles and occupied buildings, and stay a safe distance away.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Your vehicle carrying explosives catches fire. What do you warn everyone about?
The danger of explosion
If there is a fire, warn everyone of the danger of explosion and keep bystanders away.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Compressed gas is involved in an accident. Whom must you notify?
The shipper
The shipper must be notified if compressed gas is involved in any accident.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Compressed gas is leaking from your vehicle. Who may come close?
Only those involved in removing the hazard or wreckage
Warn others and let only the people removing the hazard or wreckage get close.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
When may flammable compressed gas be transferred from one tank to another on a public roadway?
Only when fueling machinery used in road construction or maintenance
The only exception is fueling road construction or maintenance machinery.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
How far may you drive a leaking cargo tank of flammable liquid?
No farther than needed to reach a safe place
Never transport a leaking cargo tank farther than needed to reach a safe place. Get off the roadway if you can do it safely.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
When may flammable liquid be transferred from one vehicle to another on a public roadway?
Only in an emergency
Vehicle to vehicle transfers of flammable liquid on a public roadway are for emergencies only.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
You find smoldering packages of flammable solids. What do you do?
Do not open them, and remove them from the vehicle if you can do so safely
Smoldering packages stay closed and are removed if that can be done safely.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
After a flammable solid or oxidizer spill, when should you remove unbroken packages from the vehicle?
If doing so will decrease the fire hazard
Unbroken packages are also removed when that lowers the fire hazard.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
You think a poison gas or poison material on board might also be flammable. What should you do?
Take the added precautions needed for flammable liquids or gases
Many poisons are also flammable, so add the precautions for flammables. No smoking, open flame, or welding near the vehicle.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
A vehicle was involved in a leak of Division 2.3 or Division 6.1 material. What must happen before it is used again?
It must be checked for stray poison
The vehicle is checked for stray poison before it goes back into use.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
A Division 6.2 infectious substance package is damaged in handling. What should you do?
Immediately contact your supervisor
Contact your supervisor at once. Packages that look damaged or show leakage should not be accepted.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Radioactive material is involved in a leak or broken package. Whom do you tell, and when?
Your dispatcher or supervisor, as soon as possible
Tell your dispatcher or supervisor as soon as possible, and do not touch or inhale the material.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
After a radioactive spill, when may the vehicle be used again?
After it is cleaned and checked with a survey meter
The vehicle stays out of use until it has been cleaned and checked with a survey meter.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Parts of your vehicle were exposed to a corrosive liquid. What must be done?
Wash them thoroughly with water
Exposed parts are thoroughly washed with water.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Corrosives leaked in your cargo space. What do you do after unloading and before reloading?
Wash out the interior as soon as possible
After unloading, the interior is washed out as soon as possible, before any reloading.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
Continuing to drive with a leaking tank of corrosives would be unsafe. What do you do?
Get off the road and, if safe, contain the leaking liquid
Get off the road, contain the leak if that is safe, and keep bystanders away from the liquid and its fumes.
Section 9 · 9.7.4 – Responses to Specific Hazards ↗ -
What does the National Response Center do?
Helps coordinate emergency response to chemical hazards
It helps coordinate the response to chemical hazards and is a resource for police and firefighters.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Above what estimated property damage from a HazMat incident must the National Response Center be phoned?
$50,000
A call is required when estimated property damage exceeds $50,000.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
The public is evacuated because of your HazMat incident. After what length of evacuation must the National Response Center be phoned?
More than 1 hour
Notification is required when the general public is evacuated for more than 1 hour.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
A HazMat incident closes a major highway. How long a closure requires a call to the National Response Center?
1 hour or more
Call when one or more major transportation arteries or facilities are closed for 1 hour or more.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Which injury from a HazMat incident requires a call to the National Response Center?
An injury that requires hospitalization
A call is required when a person is killed or an injured person requires hospitalization.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Which of these does NOT by itself require a call to the National Response Center?
A delivery that arrives a day late
Fire, breakage, spillage, or suspected contamination involving radioactive materials or infectious substances must be reported. A late delivery is not on the list.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
What release of a liquid marine pollutant must be reported to the National Response Center?
More than 119 gallons
A release of more than 119 gallons of a liquid marine pollutant must be reported.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
What release of a solid marine pollutant must be reported to the National Response Center?
More than 882 pounds
For a solid marine pollutant the threshold is more than 882 pounds.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Who must phone the National Response Center when a reportable HazMat incident occurs?
You or your employer
You or your employer must make the call.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Which of these should a person calling the National Response Center be ready to give?
The date, time, and location of the incident
Callers give their name, the carrier’s name and address, a phone number, the date, time, and place, injuries, the HazMat involved, and the type of incident.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
A reportable quantity of a hazardous substance was involved in the incident. What extra information does the caller give?
The name of the shipper and the quantity of the hazardous substance discharged
When a reportable quantity is involved, give the shipper’s name and the quantity discharged.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Within how many days of an incident must carriers make detailed written reports?
30 days
Carriers make detailed written reports within 30 days of an incident.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Why was CHEMTREC created?
To give emergency personnel technical information about the physical properties of HazMat
The Chemical Transportation Emergency Center provides technical information to emergency personnel and has a 24-hour toll-free line.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
You call CHEMTREC about a problem. Does the National Response Center find out?
Yes, the two are in close communication and tell each other when appropriate
If you call either one, it will tell the other about the problem when appropriate.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
Which radioactive packages must not be left near people, animals, or film longer than the separation table allows?
Packages labeled Yellow II or Yellow III
Yellow II and Yellow III labeled packages are limited by the Radioactive Separation Table.
Section 9 · 9.7.5 – Required Notification ↗ -
To whom must spills of HazMat on California highways be reported immediately?
The CHP office or police department having traffic control jurisdiction
California requires immediate reporting to the CHP office or the police department with traffic control jurisdiction.
Section 9 · California Immediate Spill Reporting ↗ -
How soon must a HazMat spill on a California highway be reported?
Immediately
Spills on California highways are reported immediately.
Section 9 · California Immediate Spill Reporting ↗
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