NC CDL HazMat key terms

Any substance or material that the Secretary of Transportation has determined can pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, or property when transported in commerce, including materials meeting defined hazard classes.

A person who directly affects hazardous materials transportation safety, such as loading, unloading, handling, or preparing shipping papers, and who requires general awareness, function-specific, safety, and security training.

One of nine regulatory categories used to classify hazardous materials by their dominant risk, such as explosives, flammable liquids, oxidizers, toxics, and corrosives, which drives packaging, labeling, and placarding rules.

A subdivision within a hazard class that further separates materials by degree or type of hazard, such as Class 1 explosives divisions 1.1 through 1.6 or Class 2 gases split into flammable, nonflammable, and toxic.

The required transport document, such as a bill of lading or manifest, that describes the hazardous material and carries the basic description, emergency response information, and shipper's certification.

The required sequence on a shipping paper: proper shipping name, hazard class or division, UN or NA identification number, and packing group, in that order, with no extra information inserted between them.

The name of the hazardous material that must appear on the shipping paper and package, selected from the Hazardous Materials Table and written exactly as listed, including required technical names.

A four-digit number preceded by UN or NA that identifies a specific hazardous material or group of materials, such as UN1203 for gasoline, and appears in the basic description and on placards.

A Roman numeral I, II, or III assigned to many hazardous materials indicating the degree of danger they present, with I being greatest hazard and III the least, affecting packaging strength requirements.

Information that must accompany shipping papers, such as a guidebook page or emergency response telephone number, so responders can identify hazards and take protective action during an incident.

A number on the shipping paper that must be monitored at all times during transport and answered by a person with knowledge of the material or immediate access to that knowledge.

The regulatory listing in 49 CFR 172.101 that specifies for each material its proper shipping name, hazard class, identification number, packing group, label codes, and special provisions.

A numbered instruction in the Hazardous Materials Table that modifies or clarifies how a particular material may be shipped, such as exceptions from labeling or additional packaging requirements.

A large, diamond-shaped warning sign affixed to a vehicle, freight container, or bulk package that communicates the hazard class of its contents to emergency responders and the public.

The quantity of a hazardous material, generally 1,001 pounds aggregate gross weight for most classes, at which placards become mandatory, with different rules for bulk packages and certain table entries.

A smaller diamond-shaped warning marker applied to individual non-bulk packages that identifies the hazard class or division of the material inside and must remain legible and unobstructed.

Required information printed or affixed on a package, such as the proper shipping name, identification number, orientation arrows, or package specification code, identifying contents and package capability.

A packaging with a capacity greater than 119 gallons for liquids, 882 pounds for solids, or 1,000 pounds of water capacity for gases, or a cylinder or portable tank meeting those limits.

A bulk packaging permanently attached to a motor vehicle, used to transport liquid or gaseous hazardous materials, and subject to specific integrity, marking, and retest requirements.

A bulk packaging designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from a transport vehicle, with a capacity over 119 gallons, built to a recognized specification and marked with its design details.

Packaging certified by testing to meet a UN standard rather than by prescribed design, marked with a code showing the tests it passed and the materials it may hold.

The requirement to keep certain hazardous materials separated from each other or from food and other sensitive cargo during loading and transport to prevent dangerous reactions or contamination.

Hazardous materials that, if mixed or allowed to contact each other, could react dangerously, such as oxidizers with flammables or acids with cyanides, requiring physical separation in the vehicle.

The use of tiedowns, blocking, bracing, or dunnage to keep hazardous material packages from shifting, sliding, or falling during transport, protecting packages and preventing leaks.

A letter designation A through S assigned to Class 1 explosives that groups materials considered safe to store or transport together, and which appears with the division on shipping papers and placards.

A Class 1 material capable of rapid chemical reaction producing gas and heat, subdivided into divisions 1.1 through 1.6 by mass explosion, projection, fire, or minor hazard characteristics.

A Class 7 material that emits ionizing radiation above specified levels, shipped under package categories and transport indices that limit exposure to drivers, handlers, and the public.

A number assigned to a radioactive package that reflects the maximum radiation dose rate at one meter from its surface, used to control stacking, segregation, and loading positions.

A shipment arrangement where a single shipper uses a vehicle exclusively for its hazardous materials, allowing certain relaxed loading, segregation, or marking rules under specified conditions.

A toxic material, such as Division 6.1 Zone A or B liquids, that presents a severe inhalation risk and requires special packaging, handling, and protective measures during transport.

A Class 8 material that causes visible destruction or irreversible damage to skin on contact or severely corrodes steel or aluminum, requiring resistant packaging and careful handling.

A Class 5.1 material that yields oxygen and can intensify combustion or cause flammable materials to ignite, requiring separation from fuels and careful load placement.

A Class 5.2 material containing a reactive oxygen structure that can decompose, burn, or explode, often requiring temperature control and segregation from other cargo.

The amount of a hazardous substance released that triggers notification to the National Response Center and other authorities, listed for each substance in environmental regulations.

A written report required after certain hazmat incidents, such as a release, fire, or injury, submitted to the appropriate federal agency within the specified time after the event.

A material listed by the EPA as toxic or dangerous to the environment, which when released in a reportable quantity requires notification and may trigger additional shipping paper requirements.

Training that helps drivers recognize and respond to potential threats, such as suspicious persons, tampering, or unattended packages, and report them while protecting the shipment.

Selecting roads and stops for hazardous materials shipments to reduce risk, comply with designated routes, avoid populated areas where practical, and prevent unattended vehicles.

Structural features and driving practices that reduce rollover risk in tank vehicles, including lower speeds on curves, proper load distribution, and awareness of high center of gravity.