Hazmat Recognition Training

FAR 91.1085 Hazmat Recognition Training

FAR 91.1085 requires fractional ownership program personnel handling or carrying hazardous materials to complete recognition training before performing duties.

In Plain English

FAR 91.1085 is a fractional ownership program (Subpart K) rule that addresses hazardous materials recognition training. It says that a program manager cannot assign — and no person may perform — any duties involving the handling or carriage of hazardous materials unless that person has been trained to recognize hazmat.

Key points to remember:

  • The definition of "hazardous materials" comes from 49 CFR 171.8, the DOT's hazmat regulations — not from the FARs themselves.
  • The training requirement is recognition-based: the person must be able to identify hazmat when they encounter it.
  • It applies to anyone with assigned duties touching hazmat handling or carriage, not just pilots.

Why it matters operationally: undeclared or misidentified hazmat (lithium batteries, oxygen generators, fuel, aerosols) has caused fatal accidents. Recognition training is the first line of defense, ensuring crew and ground personnel can spot hazmat before it gets loaded onto an aircraft.

Regulation Text
14 CFR § 91.1085
§ 91.1085 Hazardous materials recognition training. No program manager may use any person to perform, and no person may perform, any assigned duties and responsibilities for the handling or carriage of hazardous materials (as defined in 49 CFR 171.8), unless that person has received training in the recognition of hazardous materials.
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1Under the fractional ownership rules, what training must someone have before handling hazardous materials?
Per FAR 91.1085, that person must have received training in the recognition of hazardous materials before performing any assigned duties for the handling or carriage of hazmat.
Q2Where is the term 'hazardous materials' defined for purposes of FAR 91.1085?
FAR 91.1085 references the definition in 49 CFR 171.8, which is the Department of Transportation's hazardous materials regulations.
Q3Can a program manager assign hazmat handling duties to an untrained employee under any circumstances?
No. FAR 91.1085 prohibits a program manager from using any person — and that person from performing — hazmat handling or carriage duties without recognition training.
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FAR 91.1085 — Hazardous Materials Recognition Training