DGAC's 30 Greatest Accomplishments

#3 DGAC's Training Partnership with DOT

One of the cornerstones of the safe transportation of hazardous materials is quality training. Many of the accidents and violations that occur are preventable ones that stem from a lack of quality training.

In early 2007, DGAC began discussions with PHMSA regarding that state of the training industry and what steps could be taken to ensure the quality of available training programs.

"We recognized that there is substandard training taking place that is not in the best interests of the industry from the standpoint of safety," said DGAC President Mike Morrissette.

Subsequent meetings led to a partnership agreement between DGAC and PHMSA regarding the development of hazmat transportation instructor best practices.

(seated) DGAC President Mike Morrissette, PHMSA Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety Ted Willke (standing from left)DGAC Technical Director Frits Wybenga, DGAC Director of Education and Training Vaughn Arthur, PHMSA Deputy Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety Bob Richard, and PHMSA Senior Training Officer Candace Simon.

The signing was preceded by a presentation by Candace Simon, Senior Training Officer in PHMSA. Her presentation covered the reasoning behind the partnership, the process, and the partnership goals. View a copy of the presentation.

The conference also featured a workshop with several different presentations by interested parties including DGAC's own Director of Education and Training Vaughn Arthur. In addition to covering the results of DGAC’s survey of commercial training institutions, Arthur included common misconceptions by students on certification and training, and discussed the need for more consistency throughout the industry in communicating the requirements. View the workshop presentations.

Vaughn Arthur presents survey results at the DGAC workshop in November 2007.

The workshop was free and open to the public, and DGAC plans to hold more workshops as needed for the industry to come together and discuss the development of these best practices.

DGAC also surveyed companies who provide training to their own employees through an in-house trainer. With 120 responses, DGAC was able to garner a wide-ranging picture of how these programs function. To take one of the surveys or view the results, click here.

In February 2008, DGAC posted a draft of the training guidelines on its public forum, inviting comment from any interested party. These will be revised and presented to PHMSA later this year.

Stay tuned to the public website for further revisions, discussions on the forum, and workshop announcements. DGAC urges all interested parties to get involved in this process in order to improve the safety of hazardous materials transportation. Contact us if you have any questions about this partnership or want to get involved. Sign up here for email updates.