Placarding and Shipping Paper Conflict
You are a driver for a freight company. You arrive at a shipper's dock to pick up a load of hazardous materials. The shipping papers show 2,000 pounds of Division 1.4G explosives (UN 0349), 1,500 pounds of Division 4.3 dangerous when wet material (UN 1403), and 3,000 pounds of Division 8 corrosive liquid (UN 1789). The shipper has placed placards on the trailer: EXPLOSIVES 1.4, DANGEROUS WHEN WET, and CORROSIVE. The trailer is a 53-foot dry van. The shipper tells you that the load is ready and hands you the shipping papers. You notice that the shipping papers list the hazardous materials in the order: UN 1789, UN 1403, UN 0349. You also see that the shipper has not entered an emergency response telephone number on the shipping papers. The shipper says the number is on file and you can look it up later.
1. What are the placarding requirements for this load, and are the placards currently on the trailer correct? Explain your reasoning.
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The placards on the trailer are not correct. For Division 1.4G explosives, placarding is required for any quantity (Table 1). For Division 4.3 dangerous when wet, placarding is required for any quantity (Table 1). For Division 8 corrosive, placarding is required for 1,001 pounds or more (Table 2). Since the load includes 2,000 lb of 1.4G and 1,500 lb of 4.3, both require placards. The 3,000 lb of corrosive also requires a CORROSIVE placard. The shipper has placed EXPLOSIVES 1.4, DANGEROUS WHEN WET, and CORROSIVE placards, which are the correct placards. However, the question is whether they are correct: they are correct in type, but the driver must verify that the placards are properly displayed on all four sides of the trailer (front, back, and both sides) for each required placard. If any placard is missing from any side, it is a violation. Also, the driver should check that the placards are the correct specification (e.g., size, color). Assuming they are properly displayed on all sides, the placards are correct. But the driver must also ensure that the shipping papers match the placards. The shipping papers list the materials, so the driver can use them to verify. The answer: The placards are correct in type but must be displayed on all four sides; the driver must verify.
2. What are the requirements for the shipping papers regarding the emergency response telephone number and the order of listing? What should you do?
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The shipping papers must include an emergency response telephone number that is monitored at all times during transportation. The shipper cannot simply say it is on file; the number must be on the shipping papers. The driver should not accept the papers without the number. The order of listing hazardous materials on the shipping papers is not mandated by the regulations; they can be listed in any order, but the basic description must be in the correct sequence (UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group). However, the driver should check that each entry is complete. The driver should refuse to sign for the load until the emergency response telephone number is entered on the shipping papers. The driver should also verify that the shipping papers are accessible during transport (e.g., in a pocket or holder). The driver should not proceed until the papers are corrected.