CDL Hazmat Endorsement — All Questions

What does the number in the bottom corner of a placard represent?

• a.The truck's license plate number
• b.The delivery zip code
• c.The hazard class or division number✓
• d.The number of packages

The number at the bottom of a placard identifies the hazard class or division of the material, such as 3 for flammable liquid or 8 for corrosive. This helps responders quickly understand the hazard. The class number works with the color and symbol on the placard.

When must a four-digit identification number be displayed on or near a placard?

• a.When required for certain bulk packagings and cargo tanks✓
• b.Only for non-hazardous cargo
• c.Only at night
• d.Never

Certain shipments, especially bulk packagings and cargo tanks, must display the material's four-digit ID number on the placard or on an orange panel next to it. This number lets responders identify the exact material. It corresponds to the ID number on the shipping paper.

There are two placard tables. What is the key difference between Table 1 and Table 2 materials?

• a.There is no difference
• b.Table 1 materials must be placarded for any amount, while Table 2 materials require placards only at 1,001 pounds or more combined✓
• c.Table 2 is for gases only
• d.Table 1 is for liquids only

Table 1 lists the most dangerous materials, which must be placarded no matter how small the amount. Table 2 materials require placards only when the total weight of all Table 2 hazmat in the vehicle is 1,001 pounds or more. Knowing which table a material falls under determines when placards are needed.

At what total weight of Table 2 hazardous materials must a vehicle be placarded?

• a.1,001 pounds or more✓
• b.Any amount
• c.500 pounds
• d.750 pounds

A vehicle must display placards when it carries 1,001 pounds or more (combined gross weight) of Table 2 hazardous materials. Below that threshold, placards are generally not required for Table 2 materials. Table 1 materials always require placards regardless of weight.

Who is responsible for supplying the placards to the driver?

• a.The insurance company
• b.The consignee
• c.The shipper generally provides placards, but the driver must apply them correctly✓
• d.Only the state DMV

The shipper usually provides the placards, but it is the carrier's and driver's responsibility to make sure the correct placards are properly displayed. The driver should verify that placards match the cargo. Never move a placardable load without the required placards in place.

What placard is used when a vehicle carries 1,001 pounds or more of mixed Table 2 hazardous materials of different classes?

• a.A wrong-way placard
• b.The DANGEROUS placard✓
• c.A blank white placard
• d.No placard is needed

When two or more Table 2 materials of different classes are carried and total 1,001 pounds or more, the driver may use the DANGEROUS placard instead of separate placards for each class. However, if 2,205 pounds or more of one class is loaded at one place, that class must have its own placard. This simplifies placarding for mixed loads.

What must you do if a required placard is lost or damaged during a trip?

• a.Remove all placards
• b.Cover the spot with tape
• c.Continue driving and ignore it
• d.Replace it as soon as safely possible so the vehicle stays properly placarded✓

Placards must remain in place and legible throughout the trip. If one is lost, damaged, or dirty, replace or clean it as soon as it is safe to do so. Driving with missing or unreadable placards is a violation and hides the hazard from responders.

How close can a placard be to other signs or markings on the vehicle?

• a.Placards must touch the license plate
• b.Placards can overlap other signs
• c.Placards must be at least 3 inches away from other markings that could reduce their effectiveness✓
• d.Placards should be hidden by other decals

Placards must be clearly visible and not crowded by advertising, other signs, or markings. They must be kept at least 3 inches away from anything that could reduce their visibility. Clear placards let responders identify hazards quickly.

What color is the flammable liquid (Class 3) placard?

• a.Yellow with an oxidizer symbol
• b.Red with a flame symbol✓
• c.Blue with a water symbol
• d.Green with a gas symbol

The Class 3 flammable liquid placard is red with a white flame symbol and the number 3 at the bottom. Colors and symbols on placards are standardized to communicate the hazard at a glance. Red generally indicates a flammable hazard.

When must a placarded vehicle keep placards displayed?

• a.From the time it is loaded until it is unloaded and cleaned or purged✓
• b.Only when fully loaded
• c.Only on highways
• d.Only during business hours

Placards must stay on the vehicle from loading until the hazardous material is unloaded and the container is cleaned, purged, or reloaded with non-hazardous material. An empty but uncleaned tank may still require placards. Remove placards only when they no longer apply.

Why must a driver check that placards match the shipping papers?

• a.To calculate tolls
• b.To decide the fuel type
• c.To make sure the correct hazard is communicated and the load is legal to move✓
• d.To choose a parking spot

The placards on the vehicle must correspond to the hazardous materials listed on the shipping papers. Mismatched or missing placards mislead responders and violate the regulations. Verifying this match is part of the driver's pre-trip responsibility.

What is required for a placard's durability and appearance?

• a.It can be any random color
• b.It can be handwritten in pencil
• c.It may be faded and torn
• d.It must be durable, weather-resistant, and maintain its color and readability throughout transport✓

Placards must be made to withstand weather and remain legible for the entire trip. Faded, torn, or dirty placards must be replaced. Durable, clear placards ensure the hazard is always communicated.

If a shipment does not require placards, may the driver still need a hazmat endorsement?

• a.Only on weekends
• b.Yes, always
• c.Only for empty trucks
• d.No, the hazmat endorsement is generally required only for placardable amounts✓

The hazmat endorsement is generally required when transporting quantities of hazardous materials that require placarding. Smaller shipments below placarding thresholds may not require the endorsement, though other rules still apply. Always confirm the requirements for the specific load.

What does a placard with the word 'OXYGEN' or an oxidizer symbol warn responders about?

• a.The material is a corrosive acid
• b.The material is flammable liquid
• c.The material can intensify a fire by supplying oxygen✓
• d.The material is radioactive

Oxidizers and oxygen placards warn that the material can supply oxygen and make fires burn hotter and faster. Responders must keep these materials away from fuels and flames. Recognizing the placard helps them plan a safe response.

What is the first thing a driver should do at the scene of a hazmat leak or spill?

• a.Drive away immediately and say nothing
• b.Protect yourself and others by keeping people away and staying upwind✓
• c.Wash the material into a storm drain
• d.Try to taste the material to identify it

Your first priority is safety: keep people away from the area, stay upwind and uphill, and avoid contact with the material. Do not attempt cleanup you are not trained or equipped for. Then notify emergency responders and provide shipping paper information.

What information should you give emergency responders during a hazmat incident?

• a.The material's identity from the shipping papers and the nature of the emergency✓
• b.The truck's paint color
• c.Your favorite route
• d.The delivery price

Responders need to know what material is involved, its ID number, the amount, and what has happened. This information comes from your shipping papers and emergency response information. Accurate details let responders choose the correct protective actions.

If your placarded vehicle is involved in a fire, what should you generally do first?

• a.Get the vehicle to a safe place, keep people away, and call for help✓
• b.Pour water on any burning cargo
• c.Open the cargo doors to check the load
• d.Continue driving to the destination

If safe, move the vehicle away from buildings and people, then keep everyone back and call the fire department. Tell them what hazardous materials are involved so they can respond correctly. Do not fight a hazmat fire unless you are trained and it is safe to do so.

When should you use your fire extinguisher on a hazmat fire?

• a.Only after the fire spreads to the cargo
• b.Never under any condition
• c.Always, no matter the size
• d.Only on small fires you can safely control, such as a tire or engine fire before it reaches the cargo✓

A driver's extinguisher is meant for small fires, like a tire or engine fire, caught early before they reach the hazardous cargo. Once flammable or reactive cargo is involved, the fire is too dangerous to fight without proper equipment. In that case, keep back and wait for trained responders.

What should you do if hazardous material is leaking from your vehicle?

• a.Speed up to reach the delivery point
• b.Keep driving to spread it out
• c.Do not move the vehicle any more than safety requires, and never continue to the destination to 'get help'✓
• d.Cover it and ignore it

Never move a leaking hazmat vehicle except to protect people at the immediate scene. Continuing to drive spreads contamination and increases danger. Park safely, keep people away, and get qualified help to the scene.

Who must be notified when there is a spill of a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance?

• a.Only the truck's owner
• b.The National Response Center and appropriate authorities✓
• c.Only the next customer
• d.No one, if the driver cleans it up

A release of a reportable quantity must be reported to the National Response Center as well as local emergency authorities. Prompt reporting allows a proper cleanup and protects public health. The carrier is responsible for making required notifications.

Why should you stay upwind of a hazardous materials leak?

• a.To keep the papers dry
• b.To see the truck better
• c.To stay close to traffic
• d.To avoid breathing toxic fumes or vapors carried by the wind✓

Wind carries toxic gases, vapors, and smoke away from the leak, so standing upwind reduces your exposure. Staying uphill also helps because many hazardous liquids and heavy gases flow or settle downhill. Positioning yourself safely is essential before doing anything else.

What is the purpose of a hazmat security plan for carriers?

• a.To reduce security risks such as theft or misuse of hazardous materials in transit✓
• b.To choose truck colors
• c.To raise shipping prices
• d.To schedule deliveries faster

Carriers of certain hazardous materials must have a security plan addressing personnel, unauthorized access, and en route security. The plan helps prevent hazmat from being stolen or used to cause harm. Drivers should be trained on their role in the plan.

What should a driver do to reduce the risk of hazmat theft or tampering during stops?

• a.Stay alert, avoid predictable routines, and keep the vehicle attended or secured✓
• b.Post the cargo contents on social media
• c.Park in dark, isolated areas overnight
• d.Leave the keys in the ignition

En route security includes staying watchful, varying stops, keeping the vehicle locked and attended when required, and not advertising the cargo. These steps make it harder for someone to steal or tamper with hazardous materials. Report anything suspicious to authorities.

If you are not trained or equipped to control a hazmat leak, what should you do?

• a.Contain the scene by warning others and keeping them away, then wait for trained responders✓
• b.Bury the material
• c.Drive the load home
• d.Attempt the cleanup anyway

Drivers should not attempt cleanup beyond their training and equipment. Instead, warn others, keep people at a safe distance, and let trained hazmat responders handle the material. Providing shipping paper information speeds their response.

What role do warning devices like reflective triangles play in a hazmat emergency?

• a.They repair the leak
• b.They call the fire department automatically
• c.They identify the material
• d.They warn approaching traffic so vehicles do not drive into the danger zone✓

Placing reflective triangles or other warning devices alerts oncoming traffic to stop or slow down before reaching a stopped or leaking hazmat vehicle. This prevents collisions that could worsen the emergency. Set them out as soon as it is safe.

What should you do with the shipping papers if you are injured or must leave the scene of a hazmat crash?

• a.Take them with you and hide them
• b.Destroy them
• c.Leave them where responders can find them, such as on the driver's seat or in the door pouch✓
• d.Mail them to the office

Emergency responders rely on the shipping papers to identify the hazard and respond safely. If you cannot stay, the papers should be left in the door pouch or on the driver's seat where responders will look. This is why papers are always kept in those locations.

Why is it dangerous to smoke or create sparks near a flammable liquid spill?

• a.It only wastes cigarettes
• b.Vapors from the spill can ignite explosively✓
• c.It has no effect outdoors
• d.It makes the papers smell

Flammable liquid spills give off vapors that can travel and ignite from a spark, flame, or hot surface, causing a fire or explosion. Eliminate all ignition sources and keep people back. Never smoke near a spill or leak.

What is the safest action if you smell or see gas leaking from a cargo tank?

• a.Open all valves to release pressure
• b.Light a flare to see better
• c.Move away from the vehicle to a safe distance and keep others back, then call for help✓
• d.Climb on top of the tank to inspect

Leaking gas can be toxic, flammable, or both, so put distance between yourself and the tank and keep others away. Do not create any ignition source. Notify emergency responders and provide the material's information from the shipping papers.

What must a carrier provide to drivers who handle security-sensitive hazardous materials?

• a.A company vehicle
• b.Security awareness training and instruction on the security plan✓
• c.Extra vacation days
• d.A cash bonus

Drivers transporting certain hazardous materials must receive security awareness training and be trained on the company's security plan. This training covers recognizing and responding to security threats. It is required in addition to general hazmat training.

After a hazmat emergency, why is it important to follow the Emergency Response Guidebook's initial isolation and protective action distances?

• a.To calculate the load weight
• b.To decide the delivery time
• c.To choose the truck route home
• d.To keep people a safe distance from the release and any downwind hazard✓

The Emergency Response Guidebook gives isolation and protective action distances so responders can clear the immediate area and evacuate or shelter people downwind. Following these distances protects the public from toxic or flammable releases. Providing the material's ID number lets responders find the correct guidance quickly.