DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Training: Which Course Is Right for Your Team?
If anyone at your facility packs, labels, signs for, or loads hazardous materials going out by truck, the U.S. Department of Transportation considers them a hazmat employee. Federal law requires them to be trained, and not just once. Under 49 CFR 172.704, new hazmat employees must be trained within 90 days of being hired or changing jobs, and everyone must complete recurrent training at least once every three years.
NATEC International offers two online, self-paced courses built for these requirements. Here's how they differ and how to pick the right one.
Who Counts as a Hazmat Employee?
It's a broader group than most employers expect. Training is required for anyone whose job directly affects hazmat transportation safety, including:
- Shipping, receiving, warehouse, and dock staff
- Packers, production staff, and lab personnel who prepare materials for shipment
- Anyone who prepares shipping papers or signs a Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest
- Drivers, loaders, and anyone who loads or unloads vehicles
- Supervisors, EHS coordinators, and compliance managers
If someone's signature is on the shipping paper or the manifest, they need training. No exceptions.
Option 1: DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Training (HM-181 Employee Training)
DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Training (Also Known as HM-181 Employee Training) is NATEC's full course for highway shipping. No prior hazmat training is required, and it satisfies both initial and recurrent training requirements.
The course follows a single shipment from start to finish, so each lesson builds on the one before it. Students learn by doing, with worked examples, exercises, knowledge checks, and a case study of common violations and what they can cost.
Topics include
- General awareness, function-specific, safety, security awareness, and in-depth security training
- Hazard classification, proper shipping names, and packaging
- Shipping papers, marking, labeling, and placarding
- Loading, unloading, and segregation
- Emergency response, the Emergency Response Guidebook, and incident reporting
- Exceptions, special permits, and security plan requirements
- Documentation and recordkeeping
At a glance
- 100% online & self-paced
- About 13 hours
- $200 per student
- Free emailed certificate
- 13 REHS CEUs
- Group enrollment available
Option 2: DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Recurrent Training
DOT Hazmat Ground Shipper Recurrent Training is a focused refresher for employees who have already completed initial hazmat training. It meets the recurrent training requirement under 49 CFR 172.704(c)(2) and covers the general awareness, function-specific, safety, and security awareness components the regulation requires.
Regulations change, and this course keeps your team current. It covers recent rule changes, including EPA e-Manifest updates and the HM-215Q harmonization rule, and flags pending proposals worth watching. It also includes hands-on practice: a shipping description exercise and an interactive hazardous waste manifest activity.
At a glance
- 100% online & self-paced
- About 4 hours, 14 modules
- $117 per student
- Certificate issued immediately
- Up to 50 students per order
Please note: This course is a refresher and does not replace initial training. It also does not cover in-depth security training, which employers must provide based on their own security plan.
Enroll in Recurrent Training →Quick Comparison
| HM-181 Employee Training | Recurrent Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | New employees or anyone without prior training | Employees with initial training, due for a refresher |
| Prior training required | No | Yes |
| Meets initial requirement | Yes | No |
| Meets recurrent requirement | Yes | Yes |
| In-depth security training | Included | Not included |
| Length | About 13 hours | About 4 hours |
| Price | $200 | $117 |
| Format | Online, self-paced | Online, self-paced |
Not sure which one you need? If you can't locate a training record for an employee, or it's been more than three years, start with the full HM-181 course.
Both Courses Cover Ground Shipping Only
Both courses are for highway (ground) shipments under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR Parts 171–180). If your team also ships by air or vessel, additional training is required.
Why Train with NATEC?
NATEC International has been training workers for more than 35 years and is the largest safety training company on the West Coast. Our online courses let your team train on their own schedule, from anywhere, with a certificate ready for your training file as soon as they pass.
Training a group? Enroll multiple students in one order, or contact us about a private group booking.
Questions about hazmat training?
Call 800-969-3228 or email training@NATECintl.com