Many of the products that we use on a daily basis, including batteries, aerosol sprays, and adhesives, contain hazardous materials (hazmats). The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) hazmat regulations require that these products be properly classified, packaged, labeled, handled, and stowed for transportation over public right-of-way. This protects workers, emergency responders, and the general public from the risks associated with hazmat transportation. The US Dept of Transportation has introduced a new character, ‘HazMatt’, designed to help ‘reach the unreached’ who are unaware that they are shipping hazardous materials. Speaking at the recent Labelmaster DG Symposium, PHMSA’s Shane Kelley explained that all the modal agencies under DOT are working together to get the message out as widely as possible, particularly to those that do not normally receive the hazmat message. The project is ongoing — and is worth following at checkthebox.dot.gov.
Remember: If you ship products, it is your responsibility to know whether those products are hazmat, and to communicate their hazards appropriately, according to DOT’s hazmat regulations. Shipping a non-compliant hazmat can result in hefty fines from the DOT!