In This Issue

摘要

Without question, one of the most contentious and talked about subjects in the area of dangerous goods is training. With about 30,000 entities in the U.S. alone having registered with the U.S. DOT as offerers or transporters of dangerous goods, the question of ensuring that all of those organizations properly train their employees has become a big one, both for the government and for industry. This is particularly true in the age of digital media where computer-based training is becoming more the norm. As we have reported for years, the number one violation PHMSA sees in its enforcement efforts is the failure to provide basic awareness, function special and security training for hazmat employees. There are likely many reasons for this. But an equally important question is whether the quality of training being provided comes up to a standard that is acceptable. As we know, the barriers to entry in that field are relatively low as there are no federally mandated prescribed standards for trainers, or for computer-based systems for that matter. And because regulatory compliance commitments are largely cost driven, there is likely a good number of training organizations out there offering low-cost courses that probably ought not to be in business. Many organizations opt to perform their own in-house training seeking to achieve a high level of specificity to their organizations, while ensuring a high standard of instruction.