Massachusetts CDL: Hazardous Materials Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is four

You placard your vehicle to warn everyone around you that you are transporting hazardous materials. Therefore, you must have placards on all four sides of your vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is three

Federal, state, and county regulations on the handling of hazardous materials can change at any time, and HazMat workers need to keep up with those changes. Federal regulation 49 CFR 172.704 requires every HazMat employee to be retrained every three years. This includes training in his or her employer's security plan. If the employer changes the security plan, it must train the employee about the changes within 90 days.

Not quite. The answer is If you're driving a placarded vehicle or a bus transporting passengers

According to federal regulations, you must stop between 15 and 50 feet of every railroad crossing if any of the following is true: (1) You're driving a bus that is carrying passengers. (2) Your vehicle is placarded for transporting hazardous materials. (3) Your vehicle has cargo tanks for hazardous materials (whether loaded or empty). (4) You're carrying any amount of chlorine.

Source: 49 CFR 392.10

Not quite. The answer is Class 7 (radioactive materials)

Class 7 (radioactive materials) must be controlled by a transport index that tells each transport company and truck driver how much they can carry. The radiation given off by radioactive materials can contaminate the rest of the load.

Not quite. The answer is 2 years.

Federal regulations normally require every HazMat employee to be retrained every three years. However, a driver who transports route-controlled radioactive materials must have received written training within the past two years, on the following topics: (1) the federal regulations governing the transportation of radioactive materials, (2) the properties and hazards of the radioactive materials that the driver is to transport, and (3) the procedures that the driver must follow in the event of an accident or other emergency. The driver must hold a certificate of training as evidence of this required training. [49 CFR § 172.704],

Source: 49 CFR § 397.101

Not quite. The answer is appropriate for describing materials for domestic transportation, but may not be proper for international transportation.

The letter “D” in column 1 of the Hazardous Materials Table means that the proper shipping name is appropriate for describing materials for domestic transportation, but may not be proper for international transportation.

Not quite. The answer is It shows the proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group to use.

Column 1 tells which shipping mode(s) the entry affects and other information concerning the shipping description. Six different symbols may appear in Column 1 of the table. A plus sign (+) shows the proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group to use. These may not be changed even if the material does not meet the hazard class definition.

Not quite. The answer is a place that has been approved for parking unattended vehicles carrying explosives.

The term "safe haven" refers to a place created by local authorities where you can safely leave your truck unattended while it holds explosive materials. This solves a trucking dilemma that has often led drivers to make risky decisions, such as driving through the night so that they could stay with their loads.

Not quite. The answer is both of the above.

Hazardous materials placards must be at least 10 3/4 inches square, square on point, in a diamond shape. ("Square on point" means a square that has been rotated 45 degrees so it is balanced on one corner, forming a diamond shape.) Each placard must have a solid line inner border approximately 12.5 mm inside and parallel to the edge.

Source: 9.3.3 – Lists of Regulated Products; Section 9 - Hazardous Materials; Massachusetts Commercial Driver License Manual

Not quite. The answer is No. The regulations may change.

The official state CDL manual contains all the information you need to know to pass the HazMat endorsement knowledge test. However, times change. Government and industry regulations for dealing with hazardous materials can change over time. Even after you obtain your HazMat endorsement, you'll need to keep up with those changes. (For example, in 2001, the PATRIOT Act became law, requiring HazMat drivers to be fingerprinted and undergo an extensive criminal background check.) Government regulations require training of all drivers involved in transporting hazardous materials. Your employer or a designated representative is required to provide you this training. You can also obtain and study a copy of Title 49 (transportation) of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Also study your state's regulations.

Not quite. The answer is display POISON placards in addition to any other required placards.

If the words "INHALATION HAZARD" appear on the shipping paper or package, your vehicle must display the POISON INHALATION HAZARD or POISON GAS placards, as appropriate. These placards must be used in addition to any other placards that may be required by the material's hazard class or division.

Not quite. The answer is is subject to the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations when it's transported by air.

The letter “A” in column 1 of the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) denotes a material that is subject to the federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR §§ 171–180) only when it's offered or intended for transportation by air, unless the material is a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste. A "hazardous substance" is a hazardous material that appears in Appendix A (List of Hazardous Substances and Reportable Quantities) of the HMT and is being shipped in an amount that exceeds its reportable quantity (RQ).

Not quite. The answer is 1,001 pounds or more.

To transport hazardous materials listed in Placard Table 2, you must use placards only if you are transporting a total of 1,001 pounds or more. If you are transporting more than one hazardous material, find out the amount of each from its shipping paper.

Not quite. The answer is Within the United States and to and from Canada

A hazardous material identification number that starts with the letters "NA" is intended for shipment to, from, or through the United States or Canada (not Mexico). For shipment to, from, or through any other countries, the identification number must start with the letters "UN."

Not quite. The answer is "Explosives" placards.

The Placard Tables (which you'll find in the Massachusetts Commercial Driver License Manual) describe which materials must be placarded and what the placards must say. Explosives are in Placard Table 1, so your vehicle must have placards that say "Explosives" followed by the division number (1.1, 1.2, or 1.3).

Not quite. The answer is Class 4

Division 4.3 materials are Dangerous When Wet. An example is potassium metal. Potassium reacts with water to produce hydrogen gas. The reaction is so strong that the hydrogen gas ignites. (This effect is sometimes demonstrated in school science classes.) Under federal regulations, all materials in Classes 4 and 5 that can become dangerous when wet must be kept dry during loading, transport, and unloading.

Source: 49 CFR 177.838

Not quite. The answer is Hazardous Materials Regulations apply only if the material is shipped by water.

In the Hazardous Materials Table, the letter "W" in Column 1 means that the hazardous material described in Column 2 is subject to the Hazardous Materials Regulations only if the material is offered or intended for transportation by water, unless it is a hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or marine pollutant. The federal Hazardous Materials Regulations are in 49 CFR §§ 171–180.

Not quite. The answer is The identification number

The hazardous material identification number is a four-digit code used by first responders to identify the material, should an accident occur. The identification number must appear first on the shipping paper as part of the shipping description.

Source: 49 CFR § 172.202

Not quite. The answer is 3

A material’s hazard class reflects the risks associated with it. There are nine hazard classes. Class 3 hazardous materials include flammable liquids and combustible liquids. Acetone, gasoline, and methanol are examples.

Not quite. The answer is Classes 1, 2.1, and 3

The three hazard classes that must be kept in a trailer without automatic heating and cooling are class 1 (explosives), class 2.1 (flammable gases), and class 3 (flammable liquids), since they are particularly volatile.