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DOT Hazmat Labels, Placards, and Markings
- Labels are standard hazmat identifiers, designed to meet certain specifications, and placed on packages, packagings, or overpacks.
- Placards are standard hazmat identifiers, designed to meet certain specifications, and placed on outer containers, trucks, cylinders, or other vehicles used for transport.
- Markings are additional identifiers (other than hazard labels & placards) that further describe the package.
DOT Hazardous Materials Labels
Labels are adhesive signs affixed to packages or packagings of hazardous materials offered for transport. They communicate information about the hazards of a chemical found inside a package or of special handling requirements for the package. Pictograms of each of the hazard class and handling labels are found in Part 5-3-4 and 172.400.
   
Hazard class and handling labels must be a specific size, shape, and color. They must also use symbols to communicate hazards. Shippers of hazardous materials are required to use labels meeting all design and durability specifications outlined in the regulations.
When text indicating the hazard is used, the text must be in English unless otherwise required by a competent authority. Any text, borders, symbols, and hazard classes may be either black or white as specified by the regulations. For international shipments of hazardous materials, the hazard class number must be displayed in the bottom corner of both primary and subsidiary labels. The U.S. will not require a hazard class number displayed in the bottom corner of a subsidiary risk label until October 1, 2005.
Why are hazmat labels important?
Hazard class and handling labels are important because they convey warnings about hazardous materials within a package. They visually identify a hazard internationally (regardless of language) and are therefore very important for safety in the handling and transport of hazards.
Carriers use labels to determine stowage and segregation onboard planes, trucks and vessels. Employers often use these labels to alert employees of potential hazards of materials in the workplace. Emergency responders use hazard labels for accident clean-up and potential evacuations.
Determining which labels to use
Shippers are responsible for choosing the correct labels for their shipments. Labeling a material incorrectly can result in costly shipping delays, fines, and injuries.
Example: You need proper labeling for Flammable liquid, toxic, n.o.s., UN1992, PG III. First, find Flammable liquid, toxic, n.o.s., UN 1992, PG III in the appropriate hazmat table or dangerous goods list.
Follow the entry across the table to the columns that contain label codes. You will find in column 6 the label codes 3 and 6.1. The first number to appear in the column is the primary hazard. If a second number appears after a comma, then that is the subsidiary hazard. The entry in this example for UN1992 appears as "3, 6.1".
You must place a flammable liquid label (the primary hazard) and a toxic label (the subsidiary hazard) on your package for this shipment. (Label codes can be found at Part 172, Subpart B, Section 172.101(g).)
Placement of hazmat labels
Placement of the labels on the package is as important as what label is on the package. Hazard class and handling labels must be printed on or permanently affixed to one side of the package as close to the proper shipping name and UN number as possible. These labels must never fold around a corner. If there is not enough room on the face of the package, the label may be attached using a tag.
When overpacks are used and the labels can not be seen through the overpack, the labeling must be duplicated on the outside of the overpack.
Labels must be on a contrasting background. A label with a dotted line border should be used if the label is not distinguishable from the package. Below is a diagram of a properly marked and labeled package.
DOT Hazardous Materials Placards
Placards are larger, more durable versions of hazard labels that are usually placed on vehicles. With their larger size, they are used to communicate the hazards of chemicals inside bulk packages or transport vehicles from a distance.
Similar to labels, placards must be a specific size, shape, and color, and they mush use symbols to communicate hazards. Shippers are required to use placards meeting all design and durability specifications outlined in the regulations. General placard requirements and example images can be found at Part 172, Subpart F, Sections 172.519 to 172.560.
Placards must be printed in the square-on-point configuration measuring 273 mm on all sides and include a solid inner border that is approximately 12.7 mm from the edge of the placard. The hazard class number in the bottom corner of the placard must measure at least 41 mm. United States regulations do not require a hazard class number to appear in the bottom corner of a subsidiary placard, but will require the number after October 1, 2005.
When text indicating the hazard is used on the placard, the text must be in English unless otherwise required by a competent authority. Any text, borders, symbols, and hazard classes may be either black or white as specified by the regulations.
Why are placards important?
Placards are important because they may be the only warning on the outside of a vehicle or bulk container that a hazardous material is inside.
Hazardous materials are regulated in transportation because they pose an increased safety risk to property and the public. Placards are used to warn the public of the presence of hazardous materials while driving on the road or anywhere a large quantity of hazardous materials is transported.
Placards also convey important information to emergency responders at the scene of an accident. If the shipping papers are not accessible, the placard may be the only piece of information the responders have to indicate the type of materials involved in the accident.
How are placards used?
Placards are placed on bulk packages or transport vehicles to communicate the hazards of chemicals inside.
Within the United States, any quantity of hazardous materials within a transport vehicle or bulk packaging must be placarded, although there are several cases where placarding exceptions come into play.
The nine hazard classes are divided into two tables, Table 1 and Table 2. If the hazard class of the material being shipped is listed in Table 2, a placard needs to be displayed when 1,001 lbs. or more of that hazard class is loaded onto the transport vehicle at one location. Any quantity of materials listed in Table 1 are must be placarded.
The U.S. offers another exception for placarding mixed loads. If materials from two or more hazard classes listed in Table 2 are loaded onto a transport vehicle, the DANGEROUS placard may be used instead of each individual hazard placard. However, if 2,205 lbs. or more of a single hazard class is loaded onto the vehicle, the appropriate hazard class placard must be displayed.
Placards must be displayed on all four sides of the transport vehicle or bulk packaging. Placards must always be displayed in the square-on-point configuration and be located at least 3 inches away from any other marking that may reduce its effectiveness.
Each person offering a shipment of hazardous materials must provide the carrier with the appropriate placards unless the carrier already has placards on the vehicle or freight container. No motor or rail carrier may transport a shipment of hazardous materials which is not properly that does not include the proper placards.
DOT Hazardous Materials Markings
Markings identify a material or hazard using proper shipping names, UN numbers, or other descriptors required in the regulations.
Most markings are not specific to size, shape or color. All markings must be displayed on a sharply contrasting background and may not be obscured by labels, advertising or anything else that would reduce their effectiveness. Markings must also be durable, legible, and in English.
Some examples of markings include:
- Proper Shipping Names and UN numbers (non-bulk packaging)
- RQ and Marine Pollutant (U.S. only) designations
- Orientation arrows
- Limited Quantity designations
- Exemption numbers
Why are markings important?
Markings are important because they identify a material contained within a package or they are used to supplement information conveyed on hazard or handling labels. Incorrectly identifying a hazard is a serious infraction that can cause problems in the event of a hazmat incident. Therefore, the Department of Transportation and 49 CFR take marking rules seriously. Many penalties and fines are imposed each year for marking violations.
Emergency responders use markings at the scene of an accident to determine what materials are involved and what safety precautions need to be taken. Most responders use markings to reference an emergency response guidebook for further information.
Carriers and consignees refer to markings when accepting hazardous materials to ensure proper handling of the material as well as regulatory compliance.
How are hazardous materials shipments marked?
It is the shipper's responsibility to mark each package containing hazardous materials.
The following are some marking guidelines for non-bulk packages:
- Most packages must be marked with the proper shipping name, UN number, and technical name (when required) next to any hazard labels.
- Consignee and/or consignor's name and address must appear on the outside of the package.
- The exemption number (if required) beginning with "DOT-E" followed by the assigned number must appear on the outside of package (U.S. only requirement).
- When shipping explosives within the U.S., the EX-number for the explosive must be marked on the outside of the package.
- When shipping explosives using international air regulations, the net quantity of explosives and gross weight of the package must be displayed on the outside of the package.
- Packages containing a limited quantity of a hazardous material must be marked with "limited quantity" or an authorized abbreviation.
- Any markings that are obstructed by an overpack must be duplicated on the outside of the overpack.
- Orientation arrows must be displayed on the outside of combination packages containing liquids.
The following are some marking requirements for U.S. shipments only:
- "Inhalation Hazard" must be marked on the outside of a package containing materials that are toxic by inhalation. This text may appear on the hazard label.
- Packages containing a reportable quantity of material must be marked with "RQ" in association with the proper shipping name.
- Packages containing a marine pollutant that are offered by vessel must be marked with the Marine Pollutant marking.
- A package containing a material reclassified as a consumer commodity must bear the ORM-D marking.
The United States also regulates the marking of transport vehicles and bulk packages. For instance, a transport vehicle loaded with a large quantity (8,820 lbs. or more) of a single hazardous material in non-bulk packaging must display the UN number for the material on the outside of the vehicle. Bulk packages or transport vehicles containing bulk packages must be marked with the UN number of the material located within.
When 2,205 lbs. of a material that is poisonous by inhalation is loaded onto a transport vehicle, the UN number for that material must appear on the outside of the vehicle. All of these requirements apply only to shipments loaded at one facility.
The markings for transport vehicles and bulk packages may be applied on two different ways. The marking may be displayed as an orange panel next to the appropriate placard or the marking may be displayed across the center of the placard.
  
Example: You are preparing a shipment of 32 oz of flammable liquid, toxic, n.o.s., 3, 6.1, UN1992, III (contains acetone) using the international air regulations. The material is in a glass bottle that will be placed inside an authorized fiberboard box. International air regulations require the proper shipping name, technical name, UN number, consignee and consignor name and address and orientation arrows on the outside of the box. The diagram below shows an example of how the package should be marked.
Example: You have a 9,000 lbs. of acetone packed in non-bulk packaging being loaded onto a truck from your dock. The truck will be delivering the material to an U.S. destination. Since you have 9,000 lbs. of acetone being loaded at one dock, the UN number must appear on the outside of the truck. The UN number may appear in one of two ways:
 
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