TOOLKIT FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION
This work is sponsored by the U. S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA). It was conducted through the Hazardous Materials
Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP), which is administered
by the Transportation Research Board of the National Academies.
Prepared by
3 Sigma Consultants, LLC
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Module 8: Hazmat Transportation
Workforce Development Issues
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Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module students will be able to:
1. Recognize the challenges facing the development of the
future workforce to address hazardous materials
transportation issues.
2. Describe the career paths taken by those engaged in
hazardous materials transportation.
3. Identify potential actions to increase the supply of
professionals in the hazardous materials transportation
field.
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Topics
• Issues facing the future transportation workforce
• Insights into the subset of workforce needs for
hazardous materials transportation
• Career pathways
.
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Transportation Work Force Challenges
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Demographic changes in the work force
Competitive labor market
New technologies
Demand on the transportation industry
Source: NCHRP Report 685, Strategies to Attract and Retain a Capable
Transportation Workforce, 2011
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Demographic Changes
• Aging workforce
⁻ Wave of ‘baby boomer’ retirements
⁻ 30% of railroad workforce eligible for retirement in 5 years
• More women pursuing careers in traditionally maledominated fields
• More ethnically diverse workforce
• Changing perceptions of career paths and employee
loyalty
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Competitive Labor Market
• Image of the industry
– Perceived as dangerous
– Low tech image
• Working conditions
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May require relocation
Unpredictable hours
Must be drug free
May require specialized certifications
• Retention
– Many workers seeking other opportunities
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New Technologies
• Field is not viewed as ‘high tech’
• Yet, technology applications requires an advanced
skill set
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Demand on the Transportation Industry
• Overall demand on the transportation system has
increased by 20% in recent years
• Employment projections indicate additional growth
in the sector
– BLS projects over 573,000 new freight transportation jobs
over the decade 2010 to 2020, a growth of 22.1%.*
*Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012, Table 48-490,
Transportation and Warehousing.
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Hazmat Transportation Employment
Demand Indicators
• The movement of hazardous materials through the U.S.
transportation system represents almost 18 percent of
total tonnage for all freight shipments as measured by the
Commodity Flow Survey (CFS).
• Hazardous materials ton-mileage represents about 10
percent of the CFS national total.
• The value of hazmat shipments between 2002 and 2007
more than doubled, from $660 billion to $1,448 billion.
• Implication: At least 10 to 20 percent of freight jobs
involve transport of hazmat.
— Even occasional shipments of hazmat require trained personnel.
Source: 2007 Commodity Flow Survey, Bureau of Transportation Statistics,
U.S. Department of Transportation, 2011.
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Hazmat Transportation Employment Demand
Indicators
• Tank Car Demand
– The lack of a pipeline from the Bakken Shale formation has prompted
greater demand for tank cars to transport the oil.
– Tank car demand has also been bolstered by continued strength in
ethanol production.
• Tank Barge Demand
– A marine carrier sees rising interest in moving domestic crude by
waterborne vessels as domestic shale oil production increases.
Sources: Railway Age, Feb. 1, 2012; and Reuters, October 25, 2012.
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Focused Challenges in Hazardous Materials
Transportation Career Development
• No one single career preparation path
• The individual with hazmat transportation
responsibility may also have other duties within the
company.
• Promotion to the position is most often from within.
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Career Preparation Paths
• Railroad VP of Safety and Emergency Response
– Degree in Education - Fire service – Hazmat responsibility- many courses
in emergency response – training leader
• Railroad Director of Hazardous Materials
– BS in Engineering – additional emergency response training –certified
locomotive engineer, active at a high level in professional organizations
• Consultant
– BS in Business – background in logistics and supply chain – involved in
chemical industry Responsible Care® program
• Hazmat Instructor, Consultant and Author
– Electronics and instrumentation training, military service, logistics
manager, hazmat certification training, emergency management instructor
• Chemical Industry – Hazmat Distribution Safety
– BS in civil Engineering – supply chain, warehouse management, and
hazmat distribution safety
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Multiple Responsibilities of
HAZMAT Transportation Manager
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Training
Logistics
Package design
Regulatory enforcement
Safety
Risk analysis
Emergency response
Represent company/industry on national committees
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Typical Responsibilities of Hazmat
Transportation Manager
• Assuring that all employees handling hazmat shipments are
trained and properly certified
• Implementing processes and procedures to insure that all
federal and other regulations are followed
• Be the primary point of contact for any issues or questions
relating to hazmat transportation
• Developing and implementing plans for incident response
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Alternative Career Paths in Hazardous
Materials Transportation
 Engineering
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Environmental
Chemical
Civil and Environmental
Mechanical
Systems
Industrial
 Environmental and Health Science
 Chemistry
 Business
 Supply Chain and Logistics
 Management/Business Administration
 Information Science
 Other (e.g., agriculture, construction, military)
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How Do You Fill the Pipeline?
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K-12
Community college
Undergraduate programs
Graduate programs
Professional development and continuing
education
– Retention and promotion
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K-12
• Encourage mathematics and science preparation by focusing
on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
career opportunities.
• Develop materials aimed at K-12 level to provide students and
parents basic information on hazardous materials
transportation
• Develop materials relating to chemistry, environmental,
health science and transportation careers
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Community College
• Provide career guidance to highlight employment
opportunities in engineering, chemistry, environmental
science and transportation
• Provide scholarships and internships
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Undergraduate Programs
• Include some coverage of hazardous materials transportation
challenges in undergraduate courses.
• Host speakers or programs to inform students of career
opportunities.
• Provide scholarships and internships.
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Graduate Programs
• Offer courses or programs in hazardous materials
transportation.
• Develop a research program focused on hazardous materials
transportation.
• Provide scholarships and research funding opportunities.
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Retention and Promotion
• This is key as most positions are filled from within
organizations.
• Offer education and training opportunities, specifically in
areas such as transportation basics, environmental science,
and chemistry.
• Provide opportunities for professional growth and
advancement.
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Advanced degrees
Professional certification
Executive management training
Membership and involvement in professional organizations
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Key Takeaways
• The volume of hazardous materials carried by the U.S. transportation
network will continue to increase.
• The demand for qualified individuals to manage the flow of hazardous
goods will continue to increase.
• Steps must be taken beginning at the K-12 level to expose individuals to
responsibilities associated with hazmat material safety and security.
• Educational programs should be available for post secondary students
through graduate school to develop awareness, knowledge and skills
related to hazmat transportation.
• As most hazardous materials transportation positions are filled from
within an organization, it is vital that organizations provide education and
training opportunities to maintain knowledge levels and to support
promotion and retention of staff.
• Given these diverse needs, a hazmat transportation curriculum tool kit
that is comprehensive yet adaptable should be maintained and broadly
disseminated.
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Student Exercises
• Prepare a job description along with required education and
desired skills for the position of hazardous materials
transportation manager for a major trucking company.
• Develop an outline for a 15 minute talk to high school
students on why it is important to have a knowledge of
environmental science and chemistry if you are responsible
for hazardous materials transportation.
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Resources for Career Development Information
• The Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles, Inc.,
www.costha.com
• Dangerous Goods Advisory Council, www.dgac.org
• Institute of Hazardous Materials Management,
http://www.ihmm.org/
• American Chemical Society, www.acs.org
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,
www.phmsa.dot.gov
• Hazardous Materials Cooperative Research Program (HMCRP),
http://www.trb.org/HMCRP/HMCRP.aspx
• Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals,
https://www.ahmpnet.org/
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Resources for Support and Additional Learning
• NCHRP Report 685, Strategies to Attract and Retain a Capable
Transportation Workforce, 2011.
• The Workforce Challenge, Transportation Research Board Special
Report 175, 2003.
• Employment Projections, U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics.
• Blueprint for Success – Enhancing the Image of the Hazardous
Materials/Dangerous Good Professional, COSTHA,
http://www.costha.com/initiatives/enhancing-the-image/.
• Trends, Issues & Careers in Hazardous Materials Transportation,
Webinar sponsored by the American Public University,
http://vimeo.com/7268895.
• Workforce Summit, Council of University Transportation Centers,
April 24-26, 2012, Washington, D.C.,
http://www.artba.org/mediafiles/pdfhdntwssummary.pdf
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