Driving a Chemical Truck

Because we live in a technological world, many industries require the use of thousands of different chemicals to manufacture, process, distill or create the many products and services we all take for granted.

Without chemicals, many of the products and processes simply wouldn’t exist. Chemicals are required in all aspects of our world. Most of them are harmless and are used to modify, clean, flavor and transform ingredients to help make something else. Everything from ice cream to plastic bowls depends on a variety of chemicals to be produced.

Those who have chemical truck and oil tanker driver jobs are responsible for getting their chemicals from the refining plants where they’re created, to the many manufacturing plants around the country that need them to create a multitude of other products. Chemical truck drivers may simply be responsible for getting chemicals to local manufacturing customers or may even be in charge of transporting the chemicals clear across the country. Chemical truck drivers are generally required to have a basic knowledge of safety protocols and regulations as they apply to the chemicals they’re transporting. Having completed a safety training course such as WHMIS, along with a first aid course, will make you that much more attractive to a potential employer. Most employers will also want you to have CDL training and Hazardous Materials training. This is for the company’s protection as well as your own.

Some of your duties as a chemical truck driver may include:

• Determining the best and safest route to take to get your load to the customer on time.
• Representing the company you work for in a positive and helpful way to the customers you have. By helping your customers with any problems they may have, you help to build lasting and loyal relationships for your employer.
• Working at a steady pace within safety protocols with little – to no – supervision.
• Following safety and regulatory directives for handling the chemical loads during transport and upon delivery to the customer.

Chemical truck drivers should have a minimum of three years experience driving a large transport truck, and have a high school diploma from a recognized institution. Many employers also ask that the driver be capable of handling 100+ pounds to allow handling of the load if necessary. Of course, it probably doesn’t need to be stated but?a clean driving record is a must when it comes to chemical truck driving jobs. Because most chemicals transported throughout North America have handling directions and WHMIS labels written in English, a good understanding of the language is a necessity for chemical truck drivers.