Policy

No employee of the University of Chicago shall transport hazardous materials or offer hazardous materials for transportation except in accordance with criteria set forth in this policy.

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Authority and Responsibility

Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for:

  1. Reviewing and amending the overall Hazardous Materials Transportation Policy annually or as needed;
  2. Providing Hazardous Materials Transportation - In-Depth Security training for University personnel who transport, ship, receive, or is responsible for the security of hazardous materials;
  3. Providing Potentially Infectious Waste training for University personnel who package, ship, or prepare potentially infectious waste for disposal;
  4. Providing Oversized Potentially Infectious Waste Container training for University personnel who utilize, package, ship or prepare oversized potentially infectious waste containers for shipment;
  5. Verifying UC Cylinder Gas employees who transport hazardous materials and EHS staff who sign chemical waste manifests have taken Department of Transportation (DOT) hazardous materials transportation training;
  6. Maintaining shipping paper records for all shipments of hazardous waste, potentially infectious waste, and for inner-campus transportation of hazardous materials by UC Cylinder Gas Operations; and
  7. Maintaining all relevant training records for University personnel.

The Office of Research Safety is responsible for:

  1. Providing Shipping Hazardous Materials - General Awareness training for University personnel who package, transport, or prepare hazardous materials for shipment;
  2. Providing Shipping Infectious Substances training for University personnel who package, transport, or prepare potentially infectious laboratory samples for shipment; and
  3. Providing hazardous materials security general awareness training as part of the Chemical Hygiene Plan training for laboratory personnel who work with hazardous materials.

Employees are responsible for:

  1. Completing all required training for shipping hazardous materials; and
  2. Complying with all aspects of this program.

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Transportation of Hazardous Materials

No University employees shall transport hazardous materials in personal vehicles to locations on or off campus.  Only authorized employees who have completed all training requirements per this policy may transport hazardous materials. All campus deliveries of compressed gases and chemicals should be conducted using University-owned vehicles or third-party transporters who are permitted to transport hazardous materials.  All hazardous materials of trade (MOT), used for support and maintenance activities on and off campus, shall only be transported in university-owned vehicles.

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Hazardous Materials from Research Activities

Hazardous Laboratory Samples and/or Equipment

Contact the Office of Research Safety at 773.834.2707 for information on training requirements and procedures for shipping hazardous laboratory samples and equipment.

Potentially Infectious Laboratory Samples

Contact the Office of Research Safety at 773.834.2707 for information on training requirements and procedures for shipping potentially infectious laboratory samples and equipment.

Laboratory Moves

For information regarding the proper procedures for laboratory decommissioning and inner-campus relocation of hazardous chemical stocks and equipment contact the Office of Research Safety at 773.834.2707.

Hazardous Waste Shipments

Please see the Hazardous Waste Disposal Policy for information regarding the proper handling and disposal of hazardous waste.

Potentially Infectious Waste Shipments

Please see the Potentially Infectious Waste Policy for information regarding the proper handling and disposal of potentially infectious waste.

Inner-Campus Deliveries of Hazardous Materials

Compressed Gases

Transportation of hazardous materials by UC Cylinder Gas Operations from the Gordon Center for Integrative Sciences (GCIS) loading dock to other campus buildings shall utilize a bill of lading for inner-campus transportation.  Upon completion of deliveries of hazardous materials, the bills of lading for each shipment shall be electronically scanned by UC Cylinder Gas and submitted to Environmental Health and Safety as an email attachment monthly.

UC Cylinder Gas Operations delivery drivers must be trained in the packaging, handling, and transportation of hazardous materials.  The training shall be conducted within 90 days of employment or when there is a change in job function or regulations.  Training shall consist of:

  • Hazard Communication training;
  • DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation; and
  • DOT In-depth Security training.

Further information concerning these courses is available online at:  safety.uchicago.edu/training  and at researchsafety.uchicago.edu/training/ for Shipping Hazardous Materials General Awareness training.

UC Cylinder Gas Operations employees who operate a motor vehicle used for the transport of hazardous materials must also maintain a commercial driver's license (CDL) with medical clearance and a valid hazardous materials endorsement.

Materials of Trade (MOT)

Limited quantities of hazardous materials may be transported by university employees if they fall into the MOT classification.  Examples of MOT include materials that are necessary for:

  • Protection of a motor vehicle (fire extinguisher); 
  • Operation of a motor vehicle (spare battery or gasoline); or 
  • Activities directly related to operations and maintenance such as landscaping (gasoline), pest control (poison), painting (paint thinner), plumbing, or welding services (compressed gas cylinders). 

The MOT provision provides relief from certain regulatory requirements for the transportation of hazardous materials, such as shipping paper requirements, emergency response information, placarding, and formal training.

In order for the MOT provision to be utilized, employees must have general knowledge of the MOT provision and follow quantity limitations, packaging, and marking/labeling requirements.

For more information on what types of materials qualify as MOT, as well as the requirements please see the Materials of Trade guidance document or contact Environmental Health and Safety at 773.702.9999.

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Receiving Hazardous Materials

University employees who receive delivery of hazardous materials (e.g. dock personnel) shall complete the following training:

  • Hazard Communication training; and 
  • DOT In-Depth Security.  

Further information concerning these courses is available online at: safety.uchicago.edu/training.  

Reviewed: October 2023

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