• Follow the specific HMR guidelines if offering a hazardous material for transportation.
• The responsibility to understand preparation requirements falls on the company or person shipping hazardous materials.

Unless otherwise specified, a person must follow certain guidelines to offer a hazardous material for transportation in a packaging or container required by Part 173 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

The person who offers the hazardous material is required to:

• Classify and describe the hazardous material in accordance with Parts 172 and 173 of the HMR; and
• Determine if the packaging or container is an authorized packaging, including Part 173 requirements, and that it has been manufactured, assembled, and marked in accordance with:
  • Section 173.7(a) and Parts 173, 178, or 179 of the HMR;
  • A specification of the Department of Transportation (DOT) in effect at the date of manufacture of the packaging or container;
  • National or international regulations based on the United Nations (UN) Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, as authorized in Section 173.24(d)(2);
  • An approval issued under the HMR; or
  • An exemption/special permit issued under Subchapter A of Part 173.

What is a packaging?

According to the definition in Section 171.8, packaging means a receptacle and any other components or materials necessary for the receptacle to perform its containment function in conformance with the minimum packing requirements of the HMR.

The following marks may be used to determine whether or not the packaging is authorized:

• The manufacturer’s certification, specification, approval, or exemption/special permit marking (see Section 178.2 and 179.1), unless the packaging is a metal or plastic drum with a capacity over 100 L which has been reconditioned, remanufactured, or otherwise converted.
• The manufacturer’s identification plate or written certification of specification or exemption/special permit provided by the carrier, when a cargo tank is provided by the carrier.

DOT specification or UN standard packagings

A person who offers a DOT specification or UN standard packaging that is subject to the requirements in Part 178 of the HMR is required to perform all functions necessary to bring that package into compliance with Parts 173 and178 of the HMR, as identified by the packaging manufacturer or subsequent distributor, in accordance with Section 178.2 of the HMR.

Shipments of fissile radioactive materials, and Type B or highway route controlled quantity packages of radioactive materials

The shipper is required to notify the consignee of the dates of shipment and expected arrival. The shipper must also notify each consignee of any special loading/unloading instructions prior to the first shipment.

Shipments of irradiated reactor fuel

The shipper must provide physical protection in compliance with a plan established under either:

• The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; or
• Equivalent requirements approved by Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.

Notes: The shipper’s certification on a shipping paper for transportation of hazardous materials requires the shipper to certify that the above-named materials are properly classified, described, packaged, marked and labeled, and are in proper condition for transportation according to the applicable regulations of the DOT.

The shipper, or the person or employee of the person who originates the shipment for transportation is responsible for properly preparing the hazardous material for transportation. The hazardous material must be properly classified to ensure that it is prepared using the proper packaging, marking(s), and label(s). If a company is a shipper of hazardous material, it is responsible to understand the preparation requirements including all applicable packaging related requirements.

• Follow the specific HMR guidelines if offering a hazardous material for transportation.
• The responsibility to understand preparation requirements falls on the company or person shipping hazardous materials.

Unless specifically indicated otherwise, a person must follow certain guidelines to offer a hazardous material for transportation in a packaging or container required by Part 173 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

The person who offers the hazardous material is required:

• To classify and describe the hazardous material in accordance with Parts 172 and 173 of the HMR; and
• To determine that the packaging or container is an authorized packaging, including Part 173 requirements, and that it has been manufactured, assembled, and marked in accordance with:
  • Section 173.7(a) and Parts 173, 178, or 179 of the HMR;
  • A specification of the Department of Transportation (DOT) in effect at the date of manufacture of the packaging or container;
  • National or international regulations based on the United Nations (UN) Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, as authorized in Section 173.24(d)(2);
  • An approval issued under the HMR; or
  • An exemption/special permit issued under Subchapter A of Part 173.

What is a packaging?

According to the definition in Section 171.8, packaging means a receptacle and any other components or materials necessary for the receptacle to perform its containment function in conformance with the minimum packing requirements of the HMR.

The following marks may be used to determine whether or not the packaging is authorized:

• The manufacturer’s certification, specification, approval, or exemption/special permit marking (see Section 178.2 and 179.1), unless the packaging is a metal or plastic drum with a capacity over 100 L which has been reconditioned, remanufactured, or otherwise converted.
• The manufacturer’s identification plate or written certification of specification or exemption/special permit provided by the carrier, when a cargo tank is provided by the carrier.

DOT specification or UN standard packagings

A person who offers a DOT specification or UN standard packaging that is subject to the requirements in Part 178 of the HMR is required to perform all functions necessary to bring that package into compliance with Parts 173 and 178 of the HMR, as identified by the packaging manufacturer or subsequent distributor, in accordance with Section 178.2 of the HMR.

Shipments of fissile radioactive materials, and Type B or highway route controlled quantity packages of radioactive materials

The shipper is required to notify the consignee of the dates of shipment and expected arrival. The shipper must also notify each consignee of any special loading/unloading instructions prior to the first shipment.

Shipments of irradiated reactor fuel

The shipper must provide physical protection in compliance with a plan established under either:

• The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; or
• Equivalent requirements approved by Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.

Notes: The shipper’s certification on a shipping paper for transportation of hazardous materials requires the shipper to certify that the above-named materials are properly classified, described, packaged, marked and labeled, and are in proper condition for transportation according to the applicable regulations of the DOT.

The shipper, or the person or employee of the person who originates the shipment for transportation is responsible for properly preparing the hazardous material for transportation. The hazardous material must be properly classified to ensure that it is prepared using the proper packaging, marking(s), and label(s). If a company is a shipper of hazardous material, it is responsible to understand the preparation requirements including all applicable packaging related requirements.