# Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 00-0176  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2000-07-06

00-0176 response to Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. concerning 172.704.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
US. Department
Washington, D.C.
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
JUL - 6 2000
Mr. David E. Jones
Ref. No. 00-0176
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash,
Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
600 Peachtree Street
Suite 2100
Atlanta, GA 30308
Dear Mr. Jones:
This is in response to your letter dated June 6, 2000, regarding the applicability of training requirements
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Your questions are
paraphrased and answered as follows:
Q1.
Must a driver be trained if he will transport Class 9 materials in non-bulk packages?
A1.
The answer is yes. Section 172.704(a) specifies that all hazmat employees must receive
general awareness, function specific and safety training. A hazmat employee is a person
employed by a hazmat employer who during the course of his/her employment directly affects
hazardous materials transportation safety (see $ 1718). Therefore, a person who performs
duties that are regulated under the HMR is considered to be a hazmat employee and must be
trained under Part 172, Subpart H.
Q2. Who is required to maintain the training records for a driver?
A2.
Section 172.704(d) requires that a record certifying each hazmat employee's current training be
created and retained by the hazmat employer.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
172704
000176

<<<PAGE 2>>>

LAW OFFICES
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART, P.C.
6,00 PEACHTREE STREET
ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30308
SUITE 2I00
BAH
TELEPHONE (404) 881-1300
FACSIMILE (404) 870-1732
$172.204
E-MAIL: atlanta@odnss.com
00-076
DAVID E. JONES, SHAREHOLDER
OTHER OFFICES:
david.jones@odnss.com
Direct Dial: (404) 870-1752
CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
June 6, 2000
DALLAS, TEXAS
COLUMBIA. SOUTH CAROLINA
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
HOUSTON, TEXAS
Edward Mazzullo, Director
WASHINGTON, D.C.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Research and Special Programs Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
Re: Request for Written Opinion
Dear Mr. Mazzulio:
This letter requests the written opinion of your agency on the following issue:
When a manufacturer arranges for an outside trucking
company to transport a domestic shipment by truck of non-
bulk miscellaneous hazardous materials where a Class 9
placard is not required as per 49 C.F.R. 172.504(f)(9), must
the driver be certified as having successfully completed
HAZMAT employee training in accordance with 49 C.F.R.
trucking company responsible for maintaining records of
172.704 and, it so, is the manutacturer or the outside
the driver's certification?
We would appreciate receiving your agency's written opinion on this matter,
with citation to applicable regulations or other authority, at your earliest convenience.
Truly yours,
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH,
SMOAK & STEWART, P.C.
David E. Jones
DEJ/dj
Enclosures

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000176.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `f7390ee89e0a59cf7f9f6bcb200bd95687c96a1aeceea5bc70ff6a71968e0592`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T04:14:06.301Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-00-0176`

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