2.2 The Hazardous Materials Table & Shipping Papers

The Hazardous Materials Table

The Hazardous Materials Table (HMT), found in 49 CFR 172.101, is the master reference for the entire HazMat system. It is an alphabetical list of regulated materials, and for each one it gives the proper shipping name, hazard class or division, identification number, packing group, label codes, and special provisions such as packaging requirements and quantity limits.

The shipper — not the driver — uses this table to classify and describe a material. As a driver you will not look entries up yourself, but you must understand what the table produces, because that information flows directly onto the shipping paper you carry.

Reading the Table

Key columns a driver should recognize:

• Column 1 — Symbols. A + fixes the name and class; a D means the entry is for domestic shipments; an I means international; a G means a generic name needing a technical name in parentheses.
• Column 2 — Proper Shipping Name. The exact name that must be used on the paper.
• Column 3 — Hazard class or division.
• Column 4 — Identification number (the UN/NA number).
• Column 5 — Packing Group.
• Column 6 — Label codes that the shipper must apply to the package.

The Shipping Paper

A shipping paper is the document that describes a hazardous-materials shipment. It may be called a bill of lading or a manifest, but for HazMat it must contain a specific description. The shipping paper is the driver's primary source of information about the load and the first thing emergency responders look for after a crash.

The Basic Description — Order Matters

The HMR require the basic description of each hazardous material to appear in this exact sequence:

1. Identification number (for example, UN1203)
2. Proper shipping name (for example, Gasoline)
3. Hazard class or division (for example, 3)
4. Packing group (for example, PG II)

So a complete entry reads: UN1203, Gasoline, 3, PG II. The total quantity and the unit of measure are also shown. Some older papers used the reverse name-class-ID order, but for shipments today the ID-number-first order is the standard you should expect on the test.

Making Hazardous Entries Stand Out

When a shipping paper lists both hazardous and non-hazardous freight, the hazardous entries must be easy to spot. The shipper must do one of the following:

• List the hazardous materials first, or
• Print or highlight them in a contrasting color, or
• Place an 'X' (or the letters 'RQ' where applicable) in a column captioned 'HM' (Hazardous Material) directly before the proper shipping name.

If you see an entry highlighted or with an 'X' in the HM column, that entry is a hazardous material.

Reportable Quantity (RQ)

The letters 'RQ' appearing before or after the basic description mean the material is a hazardous substance present in a reportable quantity. If that material is released — spilled or leaked — in an amount equal to or greater than its RQ, the incident must be reported to the National Response Center (NRC) at 1-800-424-8802. The RQ is set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and listed in the HMR; it triggers a federal-level cleanup and notification response.

The Shipper's Certification

The shipper must sign a shipper's certification on the shipping paper. By signing, the shipper certifies that the materials have been properly classified, described, packaged, marked, and labeled and are in proper condition for transport according to the HMR. A driver should not accept a HazMat shipment whose paper lacks the required certification, and should never accept a leaking or damaged package.

Where the Shipping Papers Must Be Kept

The HMR are strict about shipping-paper placement so that papers can be found instantly in an emergency. The rules differ depending on whether the driver is in the seat.

Key points the test checks:

• The papers must never be locked in the glove box, buried in the trailer with the cargo, or left only at the company office.
• They must be clearly distinguished from other papers — for example by tab or by being on top — if they are carried in a stack of documents.
• The driver must keep the papers accessible to emergency responders even when away from the truck.

The One-Year Retention Rule

After a HazMat shipment is delivered, the carrier and the shipper must keep a copy of the shipping paper for one year (and the offeror/shipper for two years for certain records under newer rules). For the CDL HazMat knowledge test, remember the basic carrier rule: shipping papers are retained for at least one year so the shipment can be traced if a problem surfaces later.