Anyone here in the USA have their Hazmat license? Got a question
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on Aug. 7, 2023, 12:50 a.m. by TypicalTimmy
So, I am an ammonia systems operator. Been here about seven months now. Got my Class I ammonia license through the company.
Per the union policy, once I get my license I am supposed to have a pay increase. They won't give it to me. Why?
I'm not Hazmat certified. Just because I know the dangers of ammonia and how to work around it, does not qualify me for handling it such as if a valve breaks.
Ammonia license is for operating equipment, not handling the ammonia itself. The handling of ammonia (such as pumping down a compressor into a vacuum), the union wants us to be Hazmat certified.
Okay sure that makes sense.
Except, in Illinois where I live, you need a valid CDL for it because it is assumed you are transporting hazardous materials. Well I'm not transporting, I'm handling.
State doesn't care. They require it.
I've been asking my manager, coworkers and everyone and nobody seems to have a straight answer.
So, can I LEGALLY get a Hazmat cert WITHOUT a cdl??
The entire vast Internet isn't giving me an answer so I'm coming here as a last resort :(
KayneMarco says... #3
Just re-read your post. If it says in the policy you’re supposed to get a pay increase when working with chems then I would fight it. At least get legal advice from a lawyer if it’s in the policy.
August 7, 2023 5:47 a.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #4
Yeah our union contract says once we are licensed to handle ammonia we should get a pay increase, but Management says we need to wait until we also receive a hazmat certification
But apparently you must hold a valid CDL to have a hazmat certification, which I do not have
So my question is, do you "need" a CDL to get your hazmat certs? Because when I go online and search, everything says you can not get your hazmat cert without a valid CDL
August 7, 2023 6:56 a.m.
FormOverFunction says... #5
“Hazmat certification” is what needs defining here, for me. A Hazmat Endorsement (in Wisconsin it’s an H) on your driver license has to be on a CDL. There could also be hazardous material response/cleanup/etc training that you could get certified in, similar to what firefighters and LEAs might sign up for. Your union should be sorting this all out, but I would start with figuring out what the definition of “hazmat certified” and “ammonia I” and everything else is. From there you can start looking for alternatives.
August 7, 2023 8:37 a.m.
KayneMarco says... #6
Didn’t need a cdl to get certified here. Had to go through A LOT of training through my job but didn’t need to get my cdl. Think you only need that if you’re gonna be transporting the stuff.
August 7, 2023 9:29 a.m.
This seems like an issue you should be talking to your union about, and asking your union if they have any lawyers, either on staff or who they work with, to discuss the matter. You could also call the state licensing agency which provides Hazmat certifications and ask them about your situation and if there are non-CDL accreditations available.
This is going to come down to state law, company policies, and contract language, and is best answered by a local expert in these particular fields.
TappedOut’a Terms and Conditions explicitly prohibit this site being used for legal advice. Accordingly, I am required to lock this thread since what you are seeking goes beyond what TappedOut is permitted to address.
August 7, 2023 9:53 a.m.
I have no idea.... depends what you do I guess... working on refrigeration units or transporting them on the roadways? or just forklift training for on site reasons?
If its a union thing I guess it could be an arbitration issue
- is it a new policy?
- are you the only one?
I dont know if 7 months is considered a long time in your position or not and if there is simply a slow bureaucratic process for getting fully certified for the job or not. When I was in The army some certifications were passed around like candy to the point where it hardly meant anything they just need people able bodied to complete a task...and then other certifications just took more time.
KayneMarco says... #2
I live in Minnesota and I had to get hazmat certified as part of my job that I was doing. And no, it doesn’t automatically come with a pay increase. I think that only happens depending on the nature of the chemicals you’re working with or how unsafe the job you’re doing is considered in which case they don’t give you a raise technically but call it hazard pay
August 7, 2023 5:09 a.m.