PLACARDS, HOW TO READ THEM
Ok, the basic idea behind placards is to communicate the hazard to the public. This is done by utilizing a sign that is unique in shape, and colors, and a 4-digit number, which tells what the cargo is. Sounds simple enough but let me tell you that a lot of rules go into the kind of placard(s) that are required for shipments of hazardous materials. You can sometimes get away with only 1 placard, and sometimes you need 5 or 6 of them.
You also have to consider the compatibility of the materials that are transported; you don’t want to ship materials that are not real friendly when they are in the same space. Some things have a odor that would not be nice with others, and then some things if mixed can cause major problems, such as bleach and vinegar. The placarding system covers this to an extent also.
There are 9 major placard groups and they are designed to convey the identification of the material by a color and number system. The number system is by level, and it reads as follows:
Class 1 Explosives 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, and 1.6 These are orange colored
Class 2 Flammable Gas 2.1 These are Red colored
Non Flammable Gas 2.2 These areGreen colored
Oxygen These are Yellow colored
Poison Gas 2.3 These are Whitecolored
Class 3 Flammable/Combustible These are Red colored
Class 4 Flammable Solid 4.1 These are Red & White striped
Spontaneously Combustible 4.2 These are White over Red colored
Dangerous when Wet 4.3 These are Blue colored
Class 5 Oxidizer 5.1
These are Yellow colored
Organic Peroxide 5.2 These are Yellow colored
Class 6 Poison 6.1 These are White colored
Harmful 6.1 These are White colored
Class 7 Radioactive These are Yellow over White colored
Class 8 Corrosive These are White over Black colored
Class 9 Miscellaneous These are Black & White striped over White colored
And then there is the DANGEROUS placard which is Red with a White stripe in the center with the word in the middle. You will also find Orange rectangle placards with a number in it. That is the UN identification number. It is also in the middle of some placards to help you identify the product.
Now there are some placards that are specific to Canadian shipments that work the same way but are different than the basic ones covered above. These are for International shipments entering or leaving Canada.
Placards also have a risk of having several things having the same number. Some examples are listed below:
1203 Has 5 different names, Gasohol, Gasoline, Motor Fuel, Motor Spirit, Petrol
1479 Has 7 different names, Potassium Dichromate, Oxidizer n.o.s, to name a few
1760 Has 31 different names, check them out and be surprised
1954 Has 5 different names, most of them are Gases
2630 Has 12 different names, and they are Zinc, Sodium, Copper, Calcium to name a few
2761 Has 14 different names, DDT is one, need I say more
2765 Has 14 names, and they are just like the above list. 2,4-D or 2,4,5-T
2990 Has 4 different names, check this one out and see what they are , and be surprised
1327 Has 3 different names. Any one know why this 1 is listed, BUT NEVER PLACARDED
You also have some placards that are confusing by name:
Dangerous - What exactly does this mean or is it because of the truck driver?
Non-Flammable Gas - It does not burn, so is it hazardous
The placards are to help you identify what is inside, and you do not have to try and decode the shipping papers. Chemical Names are real confusing to say or write. Get one letter wrong, you have something different.
We can go into great details with this subject, but the basics are covered. If you are interested in finding out more, get out your ERG book and see what it can explain to you.
"Don't waste time calculating your chances of success
and failure. Just fix your aim and begin" ----- Guan Yin Tzu
