I will be starting preloading the brown delivery trucks soon. Can someone please explain to me the hazardous material rules? From what I understand you are suppose to pull out a slip in the box and stick it in the trucks pouch or something. And I think you need to do something when you start your shift such as check if the truck you are loading has any hazmat papers in it???
I appreciate anyone here who can tell me any important information on this subject of hazardous materials because they say you can get a fine if you screw something up.
Do they expect all new preload hires to fully understand the hazmat procedures??
This stuff should have been covered during "training". If you are ever unsure of something,
always feel free to ask a supervisor. If you don't understand, then it probably wasn't explained thoroughly.
While I can't recite the hazmat procedure verbatim...
When you get the package, you make sure the little white form stuck on the box is filled out appropriately. Verify that the contents of the package are approved for shipping via the "diamond" classification on the package. There is a chart in each package car that says what is approved and what isn't. There should be a pouch on the package with slips inside. Take one slip out and put it in the "pouch" in the cab of the truck. One sup has told me before to date and initial the back of the slip. Other sups have told me there's no need for that. You may want to check with your sup about that. The package must go on the floor no higher than waste level. Nothing can be stacked on it. Brace it with other packages on both sides. Hazmat packages of similar classifications can be loaded side-by-side. Different classifications must be separated with a non hazmat package in-between.
Sometimes there is no pouch on the package, but other forms that can be pulled out. In that case, you would pull out the first legible copy. Other times, there are no forms at all. Notify a sup about that and he/she will prepare some forms for you.
At the beginning of each morning you're supposed to check the pouch in the cab of the package car for any leftover forms from the previous day(s). We just trash them, as per my sup. But I think technically he's supposed to do something with them.
You, personally, cannot and will not be fined for anything. UPS can, though, if there is an inspection and forms are not present.