If you use fuels like propane for your home or business, you may have noticed a hazmat charge on the bills for delivery or service calls. Have you ever wondered why?
The hazmat charge exists to help make our services safer and extend protections to our employees and customers. Below, we’ll explain exactly what that means.
Hazmat stands for “hazardous materials.”
Hazardous materials are those that could present risks to human health or the environment. Historically, hazmat spills have caused health issues, injuries and death in both humans and animals. They have also damaged homes and properties and contaminated local environments. In 2019, more than 21,000 hazardous materials incidents caused 174 injuries and seven fatalities across the country and led to thousands of dollars in property damage.
Despite their dangers, hazardous materials regularly enter the environment. They may spill into the environment after an accident. Or a natural disaster may cause damage that allows hazmats to leak. Spills and leaks wreak health and environmental havoc, and they can lead to economic disasters as they disrupt land and marine transportation.
Hazardous materials can take solid, liquid or gaseous forms. They may include substances like these:
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) classifies hazardous materials into nine separate categories:
Hazardous materials are common in everyday use — as fuels, in paints and solvents, in common chemicals. The thousands of hazmat spills that occur every year usually require the intervention of first responders, like firefighters and police officers, because of the dangers they pose.
Because hazardous materials have the potential to do such grievous harms, the government regulates their creation, transportation, storage, use and disposal. These regulations exist to help ensure public safety. The DOT has the authority to regulate hazardous materials through the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA).
Federal regulations require that hazardous materials be defined, labeled, marked and prepared for transportation and storage according to stringent standards. Companies that fall out of compliance with these regulations will be subject to fines of up to $500,000.
Under the law, companies that carry hazardous materials have responsibilities like these:
Hazardous materials training requirements generally break down into the following areas of instruction:
Companies may choose their training methods — classroom instruction, conference meetings, videos or self-directed learning. But they are expected to keep detailed records of all training given.
We charge the hazmat charge for propane deliveries and service calls to help ourselves attain the necessary accountability standards for hazmat compliance.
Hazardous materials pose significant challenges for handling and disposal. As a handler of hazardous materials, Foster Fuels is accountable for complying with regulations. We particularly emphasize emergency preparedness, homeland security and workplace training.
Workplace training is particularly critical because it helps us ensure the safety of our employees and our customers. It gives our staff members the tools they need to handle and dispose of propane properly. The hazmat charge offsets instruction in these areas:
This training helps ensure that we provide high-quality, safe and responsible service to our customers. The hazmat charge offsets our hazmat training and compliance costs and helps us provide superior service by putting our customers’ safety first.
It’s important to note that even though we charge a hazmat charge, the propane used for fuel in your home is stable. Especially when handled by trained professionals, propane is incredibly safe and reliable. Take a look at some of our propane safety tips to see how you can use propane safely in your home or business.
When you need safe, quality fuel for your residence or business, partner with Foster Fuels. We provide propane, kerosene, heating oil, gas, diesel, biodiesel and even jet fuel to help keep homes and industries running strong. Our residential fuel services and commercial fuel services are dependable and affordable, and our autofill services give you the option of extra convenience. Our friendly, experienced and knowledgeable staff are also happy to work with you for the fuel solutions you need.
Contact us today to learn more.