Hazmat training program offering virtual courses

The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is offering new virtual courses in February and March.

10-hour OSHA General Industry Course — This course is intended to increase workers’ knowledge on hazards they may encounter on a job site and their rights. Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control, and prevention. (An incentive of $175 is available to participants who take this course.)

• February 7 & 14, 2022 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (five hours per day, must attend both days)

8-hour DOT Hazardous Materials Awareness Course – This course provides the safety awareness, security awareness and in-depth security training required by DOT for hazmat transportation workers. This course also provides OSHA first responder – awareness level training. (An incentive of $175 is available to participants who take this course.)

• February 24 & March 3, 2022 – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST (four hours per day, must attend both days)

For more information on either course, contact the Rail Workers Hazmat Training Program by calling 202-624-6963 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m. EST, Monday – Friday). Click here to register. (Note only classes listed as provided by The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program are available to SMART-TD members.)

The Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program is funded by a federal grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to provide hazmat training to rail workers.

The goal of this training initiative is to provide rail workers with the skills and knowledge necessary to protect themselves, the community, and the environment in a hazardous materials transportation emergency. To achieve this goal, the Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program provides rail workers, through quality hazardous materials training courses, the confidence in their knowledge and problem-solving skills to enable them to make changes for safer work conditions.

Much of the training is provided by peer instructors who are full-time rail workers — members and/or local officers of affiliated rail unions.