It is recommended that staff use government vehicles when transporting hazardous materials. However, as a general rule, activities of a Laboratory employee who is acting within the “course and scope” of his or her employment and in the apparent best interests of Berkeley Lab, will be covered by the Laboratory’s self-insurance. This means that a Lab employee who is transporting hazardous materials in a personal vehicle for a Berkeley Lab work-related purpose will be covered by the Lab’s self-insurance, absent a showing of some gross negligence on the employee’s part.
If a rental vehicle is being used by a Berkeley Lab employee to transport a hazardous material for a work-related purpose, there are some important qualifications to note with respect to whether or not the employee will be covered by insurance should there be an accident. First, the employee MUST use his or her Berkeley Lab corporate account number for the reservation, as well as one of the contracted rental agencies (Enterprise, Hertz, National – visit LBNL Travel Services for a current list). In addition, the car rental company agreement may well preclude the transport of hazardous materials so that should be checked with the rental company in advance.