Driver (CDL) - Loading and Unloading Selected Class 4 and 5 Material

When dealing with Class 4 - Flammable Solid Materials, Division 4.2 pyrophoric materials, or Class 5 - Oxidizing Materials, you must ensure that they are contained within the body of the vehicle, by a tarpaulin, or by other means. If the material is likely to become hazardous when wet, take precautions to keep it dry during transport and when loading and unloading. Examples of such hazardous materials include charcoal screenings, ground, crushed, or pulverized charcoal, and lump charcoal.

When loading nitrates, with the exception of ammonium nitrate having organic coating, ensure that the vehicle is swept clean, is free of projections that might cause harm to the packagings, and is an open-type vehicle with the lading suitably covered for transport. Do not load ammonium nitrate with organic coating into an all-metal vehicle, unless the metal is aluminum or, in the case of a closed vehicle, aluminum alloy.

For those materials that have a spontaneous heating or combustion hazard possibility, ensure that the lading is sufficiently ventilated to prevent a fire.

The following are miscellaneous requirements covered in sections (g) and (h) that are applicable to Class 4 and 5 HAZMAT:

• Do not load more than 100 pounds of smokeless powder for small arms, Division 4.1, in a single vehicle.
• For Division 4.2 pyrophoric liquid cylinders, unless packed in a sustainable box or case and secured to protect valves, load all valves and safety relief devices in the vapor space, and secure the cylinders to avoid shifting during transport.

Proper loading and unloading requirements for selected Class 4 and Class 5 hazardous materials are found in §177.838.

To learn more about CDL HAZMAT Transportation visit our DOT Driver (CDL) HAZMAT Transportation Online Training web page.