The Department of Transportation requires employees handling hazardous materials to undergo four phases of training. General awareness training demonstrates the importance of federal regulations and proper documentation. Function-specific training is variable since it is specific to an employee's job description. Safety training highlights the problems hazardous materials can cause and may include basic first-responder training. Security training focuses on skills to protect the materials from theft or misuse.
As long as the training is up to DOT code, any employer or institution can offer certification for hazmat training. The certificate must be kept in filing by employers for at least three years and 90 days after the termination of employment. All documentation must be turned over to any DOT agency if there is cause for its reasonable demand. For certain materials such as asbestos, further certification is needed.
There are online programs that provide DOT certification for hazardous material jobs. These programs can only certify compliance with specific jobs due to the nature of the function-specific training requirement described above. Once employed, if there is a change in job function, employers must provide new training. Employers are responsible for verifying independent certification, so be sure to search for an accredited institution.