Do I need hazmat insurance?

Sometimes shipping or transporting hazardous materials can be a problem, especially if you don’t know or forget you are involved in the hazmat transportation process. Can something like that happen? You bet it can and not having enough insurance to cover the hazmat you’re handling could prove to be very expensive if an accident and/or incident should occur!

Hazardous materials exceptions

Hazmat exceptions are great because they allow a shipper or carrier to transport certain types and/or quantities of hazmat that are not subject to some or all of the requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Examples would be labeling and placarding requirements, shipping paper requirements, and even training. There are limited quantity exceptions, consumer commodity exceptions, and so on. If you are taking advantage of a particular exception, you may think the material is no longer a hazmat. It still is!

FMCSRs

Hazmat insurance requirements are found in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), not the HMR. Just because a hazmat qualifies for an exception doesn’t mean hazmat insurance requirements may not apply. Be sure to reference 49 CFR 387.9 Financial responsibility, minimum levels to check what level of coverage your company should be at. If you have questions, contact your insurance company.

Click Here for Previous Ideas Of The Week.

J. J. Keller's Handling Hazardous Materials handbook gives you plain-language explanations of DOT Hazmat regulations for those who manage or transport hazardous materials -- shipping papers, marking, labeling, and placarding. Includes: Identification Number Cross Reference to proper shipping names, Hazardous Materials Table, list of Hazardous Substances, list of Marine Pollutants, and list of Special Provisions in Section 172.102.

• Sign up to receive SafetyClicks™.
• Learn more about SafetyClicks™.