Hazardous materials are more common than you might think. They’re found in everything from batteries and paint to fragrances and nail polish. If you transport hazardous materials or work in an industry that often deals with them, you need to understand how to label hazmat correctly.
Improperly labeled materials can delay delivery for weeks. Supply chain workers, retailers, emergency responders and anyone else who may interact with hazardous materials rely on correct labeling and documentation to store, handle and transport items properly and keep themselves and others safe. Learn more in this guide to hazmat placarding and labeling.
Understanding Hazmat Label Requirements
Shippers, transporters and storage facilities are responsible for properly labeling hazardous shipments.
The main regulatory body overseeing hazmat shipping label requirements is the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), specifically the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA). PHMSA’s Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 49 Part 172 includes classification criteria and a Hazardous Materials Table that contains information on:
- Quantity limitations
- Appropriate packaging
- Special provisions or limitations
- Label codes, including the proper shipping name (PSN), to identify materials
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) also provides guidelines for a product’s safety data sheet (SDS), which can cover hazardous substances.
Manufacturers should include an SDS that classifies hazardous products, but it’s up to the shipper to ensure everything is classified, packed, labeled and marked correctly and includes the proper paperwork.
Label Compliance Basics
While label regulations can be complex, two basic rules always apply:
- Labels must not be on the bottom of the package. This may seem obvious since no one can see labels on the bottom, but that doesn’t make it less important.
- If there’s room, hazmat labels should be on the same side as the shipping information. This rule aims to keep all important information about a package together and easily visible at the same time.
Labels must also be a specific size and shape:
- Labels should be a diamond, with each side at least 100 millimeters (3.9 inches) long.
- The inner border should be 2 millimeters wide and 5 millimeters from the label’s edge.
- The classification number must be at least 6.3 millimeters (0.25 inches) tall.
- Any additional lettering must be at least 7.6 millimeters (0.3 inches) tall.
- Labels on packages containing liquid should have arrows pointing up to indicate the container orientation.
Labels must be weather-resistant and durable enough to withstand a month in normal transportation conditions without substantial change in color or other deterioration.
If a package requires more than one hazmat label, they must be within 150 millimeters (6 inches) of each other. If a package is too small or oddly shaped for a label, a tag may be used as long as the package doesn’t contain radioactive material.
There may be additional label requirements if the package contains an environmental hazard, marine pollutant or lithium battery.
What Are the Requirements for Hazardous Chemical Labeling?
Even if a chemical isn’t regulated as a hazardous material under DOT, it still might have hazardous labeling requirements. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is the primary regulation for hazardous chemicals. It requires manufacturers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce and provide an SDS for each one.
Manufacturers must also label chemicals with:
- The chemical name
- A signal word, such as “danger”
- A hazard statement describing the nature of the hazard
- A precautionary statement explaining how to minimize exposure
- Standardized pictograms to represent the hazard
Are There Different Hazardous Waste Label Requirements?
Hazardous waste has a few additional requirements compared to other hazmat, as regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). Waste labels must include:
- Information on who created the waste, their address and EPA identification number
- The date when waste accumulation began in a specific container
- EPA hazardous waste codes, which explain why the waste is hazardous
- A description of the waste, such as “waste paint”
Types of Hazmat Labels and Their Uses
PHMSA divides hazardous materials into nine classes:
- Class 1: Explosives
- Class 2: Gases, subdivided into flammable, toxic, nonflammable and nontoxic
- Class 3: Flammable liquids
- Class 4: Flammable solids, subdivided into general flammable solids, spontaneously combustible and dangerous when wet
- Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
- Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances
- Class 7: Radioactive material, subdivided into three categories
- Class 8: Corrosives
- Class 9: Miscellaneous hazmat
In addition to clearly indicating the class number, hazmat labels must also be a certain color depending on the type of hazard:
- Red: Flammable
- Orange: Explosives
- Yellow: Oxidizer
- Blue: Dangerous when wet
- White: Health hazard, such as toxic, poisonous or corrosive
For example, a label on a gasoline container would be red and include the number 1, a flame symbol and arrows. A label used for miscellaneous material is white and black striped on the top and solid white on the bottom with the number 9.
Labels may include more than one color if a material is hazardous in multiple ways. A label might be white on top to indicate a health hazard from toxic fumes and yellow on the bottom to indicate oxidizing properties. Labels for flammable solids are red and white striped to differentiate them from flammable liquids, which are solid red, and spontaneously combustible solids, which are white on top and red on bottom.
The text and symbols must be white or black, whichever provides the most contrast and legibility. The label color should also contrast with the package background color. If there isn’t enough contrast, the label must have an additional outer border to increase visibility. For example, a white label on a white box would need an outer border, while a red label on the same box would not.
Transport vehicles follow slightly different rules. They must have a placard on the front, back and sides of the vehicle and include threshold quantities. Generally, the placards look the same as labels. For example, the placard for miscellaneous material has black and white stripes on the top and solid white on the bottom with the number 9.
They may also bear the four-colored diamond from the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This diamond lets emergency responders know what hazards are present if there’s a fire, chemical spill or other accident:
- Red: Flammable
- Yellow: Unstable
- Blue: Health
- White: Special hazards
Each of the four colors displays a number from zero to four to rate the hazard’s severity. The white section also includes a letter if the substance is water-reactive, an oxidizer or an asphyxiant.
Common Hazmat Labeling Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to watch for:
- Missing or incorrect PSN: Always check the PSN against the Hazardous Materials Table in the CFR.
- Missing or incorrect labels: Using the wrong label or not including necessary secondary or subsidiary hazard labels puts handlers at risk.
- Improper label placement: Labels must be easily seen so people can identify hazards. Place labels on a clean, flat surface where they are readily visible and less likely to be damaged.
- Insufficient label durability: Labels must remain legible through the entire transportation process and should be resistant to various effects, including water, UV light and abrasion.
Partner With Hazmat School
Ready to learn more about how to comply with hazardous materials labeling requirements? Hazmat School is here to help. We offer courses on hazardous materials, hazardous waste and other safety regulations to help you comply with DOT, OSHA and EPA requirements. We also provide official training certificates once courses are complete.
We have many courses on hazmat shipping, which are all online for you to complete at your own pace. We are committed to providing high-quality learning experiences that give you the best value for your money. Explore our courses today!
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
