Nine US DOT Hazard Classes

An easy way to memorize the Nine DOT Placards that are placed when offered into commerce. For CHMM Overview class that was held on April 5, 2013 at XENCO Laboratories in Stafford, TX.

1. Nine DOT Hazard Classes
Acronym To Help Memorize
Albert V. Condello III CHMM
University of Houston Downtown

2. Introduction
There are nine (9) hazard classes that DOT requires
when placarding a vehicle as well as labeling the
container.
We will discuss an easy way to memorize those nine
hazard classes in the correct order.
Remember, there might be a need to placard with
more than one if the HMT requires the secondary
hazard to also be noted.

3. DOT Chart 15
Refer to Hand Out
2012 Emergency Response Guidebook
(Page 4) Hazard Classification System
http://youtu.be/wlZTc7z7yjI

4. Nine DOT Hazard Classes
Explosives Class 1
Flammable/Combustible
Gases Class 2
Flammable/Combustible
Liquids Class 3
Flammable
Solids/Dangerous
When Wet Class 4
Oxidizers/Organic
Peroxides Class 5
Toxic/Infection
Substances Class 6
Radioactive Materials
Class 7
Corrosives Class 8
Other Regulated
Materials (ORM) Class
9

5. Acronym
Every Good Fire Fighter Ought To Receive Cash
Money
Remember these nine (9) phases, they will help you
to know what is the DOT Hazard Classes in the
correct order.

6. Every
Class 1 - Explosives
Division 1.1 Explosives with a mass explosion hazard
Division 1.2 Explosives with a projection hazard
Division 1.3 Explosives with predominantly a fire hazard
Division 1.4 Explosives with no significant blast hazard
Division 1.5 Very insensitive explosives with a mass
explosion hazard
Division 1.6 Extremely insensitive articles

7. Good
Class 2 - Gases
Division 2.1 Flammable gases
Division 2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic* gases
Division 2.3 Toxic* gases
§172.528 ,§172.530, §172.532, §172.540

8. Fire
Class 3 - Flammable liquids (and
Combustible liquids [U.S.])
§172.542, §172.544

9. Fighter
Class 4 - Flammable solids; Spontaneously
combustible materials; and Dangerous when wet
materials/Water-reactive substances
Division 4.1 Flammable solids
Division 4.2 Spontaneously combustible materials
Division 4.3 Water-reactive substances/Dangerous
when wet materials
§172.546, §172.547, §172.548

10. Ought
Class 5 - Oxidizing substances and Organic
peroxides
Division 5.1 Oxidizing substances
Division 5.2 Organic peroxides
§172.550, §172.552

11. To
Class 6 – Poison (Toxic) substances and
Infectious substances & Poisonous
Inhalation Hazards
Division 6.1 Toxic substances
Division 6.2 Infectious substances
§172.504(f)(10), §172.554, §172.555

12. Receive
Class 7 - Radioactive materials
§172.556

13. Cash
Class 8 - Corrosive substances
§172.558

14. Money
Class 9 - Miscellaneous hazardous
materials/Products, Substances or
Organisms
A/k/a (ORM) Otherwise Regulated Materials
§172.560

15. Question
HOW MANY DIVISIONS PER GROUPS OF
PLACARDS ?
Answer: 6,3,2,3,2,2 (Class 1 thru 6)
Proof: 6 (Class 1) 3(Class 2) 2(Class 3) 3(Class 4) 2
(Class 5) 2(Class 6)

16. Dangerous Placard
§172.521
A freight container, unit load device, transport
vehicle, or rail car which contains non-bulk
packages with two or more categories of
hazardous materials that require different placards
specified in table 2 §172.504(e) may be
placarded with Dangerous placards instead
of the specific placards required for each of the
materials in table 2. However, when 1,000 kg
(2,205 lbs) or more of one category of material
is loaded at one loading facility, the placard
specified in table 2 must be applied.

17. Limited Qty
§172.315(a)(2)
(Vessel transport only)
When shipping by air

18. Environmental Pollutant
These Environmentally
Hazardous Substance
Markings are designed to
help shippers and
transporters easily identify
any liquid or solid material,
including its mixtures and
solutions that are classified
as marine pollutants.

19. For Further Info
Please feel free to contact
Albert V. Condello III CHMM
Professor – Safety & Fire Protection
Engineering
University of Houston Downtown
Email: [email protected]
Cell 979-412-2219