Lesson 5: Hazardous Materials Involvement

FMCSA Crash Data Collection Resource Home Page

1. Hazardous Materials

2. Placarding Requirements

3. Bulk Packaging

4. Materials Release

5. Placards

6. Proper Recording

7. Multiple Materials

8. Shipping Papers

Bulk Packaging:
Means a packaging, other than a vessel or a barge, including a transport vehicle or freight container, in which hazardous materials are loaded with no intermediate form of containment and which has:
(1) A maximum capacity greater than 450 L (119 gallons) as a receptacle for a liquid;
(2) A maximum net mass greater than 400kg (882 pounds) and a maximum capacity greater than 450 L (119 gallons) as a receptacle for a solid; or
(3) A water capacity greater than 454 kg (1000 pounds) as a receptacle for a gas.

Bulk packages must be placarded unless cleaned and purged. A gas tanker that is empty and has not been cleaned or purged must remain placarded. On cargo tanks, the Hazmat Materials ID Number may also be found on an orange panel adjacent to the placard.

This is an example of a hazmat bulk package container. When bulk packaged hazmats are loaded inside a vehicle where the required ID number marking the package is not visible, the transport vehicle in which the containers are loaded must be marked on each side and each end.