Shipping Hazardous or Infectious Materials

DOT & IATA Regulations

The Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) specify requirements for the safe transportation of hazardous materials in commerce by rail car, aircraft, vessel, and motor vehicle. These comprehensive regulations govern transportation-related activities by offerors (e.g., shippers, brokers, forwarding agents, freight forwarders, and warehousers); carriers (i.e., common, contract, and private); packaging manufacturers, reconditioners, testers, and retesters; and independent inspection agencies. The HMR apply to each person who performs, or causes to be performed, functions related to the transportation of hazardous materials such as determination of, and compliance with, basic conditions for offering; filling packages; marking and labeling packages; preparing shipping papers; handling, loading, securing and segregating packages within a transport vehicle, freight container or cargo hold; and transporting hazardous materials.

In general, the HMR prescribe requirements for classification, packaging, hazard communication, incident reporting, handling and transportation of hazardous materials. The HMR are enforced by RSPA and DOT's modal administrations: the FAA, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and the United States Coast Guard (USCG). Federal law provides for civil penalties of not more than $25,000 and not less than $250 for each violation. An individual who willfully violates a provision of the HMR may be fined, under Title 18 U.S.C., up to $250,000, be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both; a business entity may be fined up to $500,000.

Class 1 Explosives      Division 1.1 - Articles and substances having a mass explosion hazard Division 1.2 - Articles and substances having a projection hazard, but not a mass explosion hazard Division 1.3 - Articles and substances having a fire hazard, a minor blast hazard, and/or a minor projection hazard, but not a mass explosion hazard Division 1.4 - Articles and substances presenting no significant hazard (explosion limited to package) Division 1.5 - Very insensitive substances having a mass explosion hazard Division 1.6 - Extremely insensitive articles which do not have a mass explosion hazard

Class 2 Gas Division 2.1 - Flammable Gas Division 2.2 - Non-flammable, non-toxic gas (under pressure, inert, etc.) Division 2.3 - Toxic Gas

Class 3 Flammable Liquids (100 Degrees F or less open cup)

Class 4 Other Flammable Substances Division 4.1 - Flammable Solid Division 4.2 - Substances liable to spontaneous combustion Division 4.3 - Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases

Class 5 Oxidizing Substances and Organic Peroxides Division 5.1 - Oxidizers Division 5.2 - Organic Peroxides

Class 6 Toxic (Poisonous) and Infectious Substances Division 6.1 - Toxic Substances Division 6.2 - Infectious Substances

Class 7 Radioactive Material Division 7 - Radioactive Material

Class 8 Corrosives Division 8 - Corrosives

Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods Magnetized material Elevated temperature goods Dry ice Asbestos Environmentally hazardous substances Life-saving appliances Engines, internal combustion Polymeric beads Battery-powered equipment or vehicle Zinc Dithonite

Last Modified: Friday, June 05, 2009 14:48