Marking

Scope

Anyone offering a hazardous material for shipment must mark their package according to the applicable sections of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR).

Regulatory citations

• 49 CFR Part 172 Subpart D — Marking

Key definitions

• Bulk packaging: Other than vessels or barges, and including transport vehicles or freight containers, are packagings in which hazardous materials are loaded with no intermediate form of containment and which have:
  • A maximum capacity greater than 119 gallons (450 L) as a receptacle for a liquid;
  • A maximum net mass greater than 882 pounds (400 kg) and a maximum capacity greater than 119 gallons (450 L), as a receptacle for a solid; or
  • A water capacity greater than 1,000 pounds (454 kg), as a receptacle for a gas.
  A Large Packaging in which hazardous materials are loaded with an intermediate form of containment, such as one or more articles or inner packagings, is also a bulk packaging.
• Cargo aircraft only: An aircraft that is used to transport cargo and is not engaged in carrying passengers. The terms cargo aircraft only, cargo-only aircraft, and cargo aircraft have the same meaning.
• Limited quantity: When specified as such in a section applicable to a particular material, the maximum amount of a hazardous material for which there is a specific labeling or packaging exception.
• Marking: A descriptive name, identification number, instructions, cautions, weight, specification, or UN marks, or combinations thereof, required by the HMR on outer packagings of hazardous materials.
• Non-bulk packagings: Packagings that have:
  • A maximum capacity of 119 gallons (450 L) or less as a receptacle for a liquid;
  • A maximum net mass of 882 pounds (400 kg) or less and a maximum capacity of 119 gallons (450 L) or less as a receptacle for a solid;
  • A water capacity of 1,000 pounds (454 kg) or less as a receptacle for a gas; or
  • A maximum net mass of 882 pounds (400 kg) or less for a bag or a box conforming to the specification packaging requirements in Subpart L of part 178.
• Technical name: A recognized chemical name or microbiological name currently used in scientific and technical handbooks, journals, and texts. Generic descriptions are authorized for use as technical names provided they readily identify the general chemical group, or microbiological group. Examples of acceptable generic chemical descriptions are organic phosphate compounds, petroleum aliphatic hydrocarbons, and tertiary amines. For proficiency testing only, generic microbiological descriptions such as bacteria, mycobacteria, fungus, and viral samples may be used. Except for names which appear in Subpart B of part 172 of this subchapter, trade names may not be used as technical names.

Summary of requirements

• It’s the shipper’s responsibility to ensure the hazardous materials are marked in accordance with the HMR.
• Bulk and non-bulk packagings are required to have certain information displayed.
• Packagings that contain materials with certain properties or require specific handling instructions must be marked appropriately.