Hazardous Material Shipping Guidelines

Common carriers require the following information on hazardous materials before shipment  

Proper description of the material being shipped is the first step which must be taken to ensure that fuels and oils are handled, shipped, stored, and used properly. A listing of the most commonly accepted names for a variety of petroleum products is provided in TABLE 10-1. 

Use of the designation n.o.s., or not otherwise specified, follows some of the proper shipping names provided in TABLE 10-1. This designation and shipping name can be used if the material to be shipped contains 25% or less of the hazardous substance. If the material contains greater than 25% of a single hazardous substance, the n.o.s. designation may not be appropriate. 

Many materials may be classified as nonhazardous materials such as residue, scale, sludge, water, and metal parts. These materials may be shipped as nonhazardous materials. 

Presently, there are nine hazard classes under which hazardous materials are shipped. These are described as follows  

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Physical State (as shipped) - All chemicals that are listed in Code of Federal Regulations, Title 46 are shipped as liquids. Other designations include liquefied gas, liquefied compressed gas, and solid. Where a compound may be shipped either as a liquid or solid, both designations are given. The reader should also refer to Title 49 of the CFRs for guidelines on the transportation of hazardous materials. 

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