DANGEROUS GOODS ON ROADS AND RAILS

If you’ve traveled this nation’s highways, you’ve seen trucks, tankers, and rail cars with the distinctive square-on-point placards

that indicate the presence of Dangerous Goods (DG) on board.

These placards are designed to let first responders

know what type of DG is contained in the shipment. If

an incident occurs, this knowledge can help first responders determine:

Placards must be displayed on the front, back, and both sides of a vehicle, and the shipper is required to provide the appropriate placard for any Dangerous

Goods offered for transportation. While it’s not uncommon for carriers to have the placards available, if you’re shipping Dangerous Goods, you need to know

what’s required and ensure the right placards are available when they’re needed.

DISPLAYING PLACARDS

There are nine categories (hazard classes) of placards with 24 divisions among them:

ALWAYS PLACARD THE FOLLOWING

As a general rule, placards are required on loads of 1,001 lbs. (454 kg) or more of any Dangerous Good. Some materials must be placarded for any amount.

The “Dangerous” placard is used for loads with two or more hazard classes of Dangerous Goods (less than 2,205 lbs. each loaded at any one loading facility) in non-bulk packaging.

CLASSIFIC

ATION

IDENTIF

ICATIO

N

NUMBERS

FIRST

RESPONDERS FIREFIGHTING TECHNIQUES

SPECIALEQUIPMENTREQUIRED

EVACUATIONDISTANCES

BACK FRONTSIDES

HAZARDCLASS

SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTIBLE,AND DANGEROUS WHEN WET

AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID

AND POISON INHALATION HAZARD

6 POISON (TOXIC)

8 CORROSIVE

AND ORGANICPEROXIDE

>1001lbs.

EXPLOSIVES(Divisions 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3)

DISPLAYING PLACARDS

(Division 6.1)

(Type B temperature control)

(Division 4.3)(Division 2.3)

POISONGAS

DANGEROUS WHEN WET

(Division 5.2)

ORGANICPEROXIDE

POISONINHALATION

HAZARD RADIOACTIVE

1

Have a question about placarding? Labelmaster is ready to help with dedicated regulatory experts on staff to help make sense of the current regulations and to help ensure your DG shipments are compliant, mile after mile.

labelmaster.com 800.621.5808

Placards

1 EXPLOSIVES

2 GASSES

3 FLAMMABLE LIQUID

4 FLAMMABLE SOLID,

5 OXIDIZER

7 RADIOACTIVE

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

HAZARDCLASS

9 MISCELLANEOUSHAZARDCLASS

SPACEMASTER

UN identification numbers for the specific type of Dangerous Good must be displayed on:

Tank cars, cargo tanks, portable tanks, and other bulk packaging

Transport vehicles or freight containers containing 1,000 kg (2,205 lbs.) of non-bulk packages of materials poisonous by inhalation in Hazard Zone A or B

Transport vehicles or freight containers containing 4,000 kg (8,820 lbs.) in non-bulk packaging of a single Dangerous Good (having the same proper shipping name and ID number, loaded at the same facility)

The identification numbers can be displayed as part of the placard or on a separate orange panel.

To help carriers be prepared for most any type of shipment, Labelmaster created the Spacemaster® flip placard system in

the 1970s. With this durable aluminum system, carriers can quickly select and display the appropriate placard to ensure compliance.

Available with common combinations from 2 to 18 different placards

Includes a blank placard for non-DG shipments

Custom systems are available

Duo-Flip® systems feature changeable UN numbers for bulk containers/tankers

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