Virginia CDL: Hazardous Materials Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is Any of the above

Most official state CDL handbooks still state that to oversee the loading or unloading of hazmat into a cargo tank, a qualified person must be within 25 feet of the cargo tank, with a clear view of the cargo tank. However, this is no longer the only way. Federal regulation 49 CFR 177.834 now allows two methods by which the qualified person can "attend" the loading or unloading remotely: (1) via a video monitoring system, as long as the cameras provide an unobstructed view of all equipment involved in the loading or unloading process; (2) via an instrumentation and signaling system, as long as the system provides a surveillance capability that is as good as that of a human observer. When a qualified person is "attending" remotely, there must be a way for the person to control the shut-off valves remotely in the event of an incident. There must also be a way for the person to terminate the loading or unloading immediately in the event of a loss of monitoring capability. Finally, when the loading or unloading has been completed, some qualified person (not necessarily the same one) must inspect the cargo tank in person for any damage that might have been sustained during the loading or unloading process. (Note: This topic is not found in the official state CDL handbook.)

Not quite. The answer is any more than safety requires.

You don't want to leave a trail of hazardous materials behind you as you drive. The carrier will have to pay for the cleanup of any contaminated areas, which can be very expensive. Minimize the extent of the contamination. Move your vehicle only enough to ensure the safety of the general public. Then park your vehicle. Your vehicle and its cargo are still your responsibility, so stay with your vehicle and send someone else to get help.

Not quite. The answer is The driver

At any time, states or counties can impose new rules on the permits you must have or new restrictions on the routes you may take. As the driver, you must keep up with these changes and work with the carrier to obtain any needed permits.

Not quite. The answer is Only if regulations specifically authorize the shipper to do it

The shipper may not abbreviate the hazardous material identification number, hazard class, or shipping name of a hazardous material unless the regulations specifically authorize it. Abbrevations might make it harder to identify the material correctly, which could be dangerous.

Not quite. The answer is read the shipping papers and package labels to identify the materials.

If you discover a hazardous materials cargo leak, use the shipping papers, the package labels, or the package locations to help you identify which materials are leaking. Do not touch any leaking material; you can injure yourself by touching hazardous materials. Do not use your sense of smell to identify the material; inhaling toxic gases can be dangerous.

Not quite. The answer is Both of the above

A material’s hazard class reflects the risks associated with it. There are nine hazard classes. Class 6 includes poisonous materials (6.1) and infectious substances (6.2).

Not quite. The answer is on all bulk packaging and on the cargo tanks.

In addition to the two main locations for the hazardous material identification number, you must also display it on the cargo tanks and on all bulk packaging.

Not quite. The answer is a non-hazardous material.

To avoid confusing anyone (such as emergency services) who might need to read the shipping papers, you should never use hazardous material names or identification numbers to denote non-hazardous materials.

Not quite. The answer is cargo heaters have been disabled.

Ideally, you should not risk exposing any type of hazardous material to flame, but especially Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosives), Division 2.1 (flammable gases), or Division 3 (flammable liquids). These can be so volatile that they should not be exposed to any heat source, not even a cargo heater.

Not quite. The answer is The identification number

The basic description of hazardous materials includes the identification number, the proper shipping name, the hazard class or division, and the packing group, if any, in that order. The packing group is a grouping by the degree of danger as shown for that hazardous material in the Hazardous Materials Table. Packing Group I indicates great danger; Packing Group II, medium danger; and Packing Group III, minor danger.

Source: 49 CFR §§ 172.101 and 172.202

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 you will have to use placards.

The hazard classes listed in Placard Table 1 are particularly hazardous. These include mass explosives (1.1) and toxic gases (2.3). You must use placards to carry any amount of the hazard classes in Placard Table I.

Not quite. The answer is refuse the package.

The driver must refuse any leaking packages or shipments.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above are major differences.

The major differences between cargo tanks and portable tanks are about the permanence of cargo tanks. Since cargo tanks are permanently attached to commercial vehicles, they are filled while on the vehicles, and they do not need to display the owner's name separately. Portable tanks are loaded and unloaded while they are off the vehicle. Portable tanks are then put on a vehicle for transportation. They must display the owner or lessee's name.

Not quite. The answer is $50,000

If there is an incident involving hazardous materials, you or your employer must call the National Response Center if any of the following have occurred: death or injury requiring hospitalization; more than $50,000 in estimated property damage; evacuation of the general public for more than one hour; the closure of a major road for more than one hour; damage to or spillage of radioactive substances; damage to or spillage of infectious agents; or any other incident that the carrier believes is dangerous enough to be reported.

Not quite. The answer is "Explosives" placards.

The Placard Tables (which you'll find in the Virginia 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 A

You may have seen the term "hazard zone" in the Hazardous Materials Table. A poisonous material's "hazard zone" (not to be confused with its "hazard class") is the degree of hazard that it poses, based on how toxic it is. The hazard zone is based on the minimum concentration of the material that will kill 50% of those who are exposed to it. Division 2.3 poisonous gases have four possible hazard zones, A, B, C, and D, in descending order of toxicity. Division 6.1 poisonous liquids have just two possible hazard zones, A and B, also in descending order of toxicity. For either poisonous gases or poisonous liquids, hazard zone A poses the greatest hazard. According to federal regulation 49 CFR 173.116, a poisonous gas in hazard zone A will kill 50% of those exposed to a concentration of just 200 parts per million. Your carrier must apply for a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP) to haul poisonous materials in certain safety zones. For example, to haul more than 1 liter or 1.08 quarts of a material that is poisonous by inhalation and is in hazard zone A, your carrier must hold a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit.

Not quite. The answer is not attempt to control the fire.

If you discover a fire in your vehicle, call the fire department. If it's a minor fire, you can try to use your fire extinguisher to keep the fire from spreading to the hazardous materials before firefighters arrive. But if the hazardous materials have caught fire, don't attempt to control that fire yourself. Dealing with hazardous materials fires requires special training and protective gear. Instead, keep the cargo doors closed to deprive the fire of additional oxygen, and wait for the firefighters to arrive.

Not quite. The answer is The written route plan

To transport explosives, you must usually follow a route plan prepared by the carrier. One exception is if you pick up the explosives at a location other than your employer. In that case, you should create and follow your own route plan.

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.