A question I received back on November 17, 2017:
I have a company that wants me to haul a used fuel truck that has hauled gas and diesel fuel they say it has been empty and setting in a storage lot for a period of time. Do I need special paperwork that shows that this truck has been cleaned and washed before transporting?
A pretty common question, so I was able to respond that same day:
Thank you for contacting me. Please see below.
- No.
- It is the responsibility of the shipper (in this case the company that asked you to haul the fuel tank truck) to ensure that a packaging contains no residue of a HazMat and no dangers from it. In the case of a Class 3 flammable liquid (gasoline & diesel) this would mean the absence of vapors. The shipper does not need to provide a certification that the tank truck has been cleaned and purged.
- It is the responsibility of the carrier (you) to reject a shipment if it is not in compliance with the regulations. e.g. it is classified as non-HazMat but contains the residue – or vapors – of a class 3 flammable liquid and is therefore HazMat.
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Contact me with any questions you may have about the transportation of hazardous materials by air, highway, vessel, or rail International and Domestic Daniels Training Services, Inc. 815.821.1550 |
In sum:
You may accept the cargo tank for transport as non-HazMat based solely on the certification of the shipper. However, I highly recommend that you or your driver ensure there is no HazMat residue – not even vapors – in the cargo tank. If any concern at all you should reject the shipment until it is rinsed, cleaned, and purged of all vapors so no hazard remains. If this cannot be done it should be shipped as HazMat: shipping paper, placards, HazMat Employee training &etc.
Please see below for more information:
- USDOT Requirements for the Shipment of Empty HazMat Packagings
- Do I need an “all-clean” certificate for my cargo tank?
- Emptying a HazMat Packaging
I hope this helps. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any other questions.