Emergency Response Information

Anyone who offers for transportation a hazardous material that requires a hazardous materials shipping paper must include an emergency response telephone number. The telephone number must be entered on the shipping paper immediately following the description of the hazardous material or in a clearly visible location. It must also include the area code or international access code for use in the event of an emergency.

Previously, PHMSA allowed the use of alphanumeric emergency contact numbers, which are telephone numbers that substitute numeric digits with their corresponding letters on the telephone dial pad. In 2016, PHMSA issued a new ruling requiring shippers to only use numerals in emergency contact phone numbers on shipping papers.

The emergency response telephone number must be monitored at all times while the hazardous material is in transportation. The person monitoring the number must be someone who is knowledgeable of the hazardous materials listed and who is able to provide the following information:

• Hazard characteristics and risks
• Emergency response information
• Incident mitigation information

§172.604(c) provides a list of materials and limited quantity materials that do not require an emergency response telephone number on the shipping paper.

Additional emergency response information pertaining to incident mitigation may be required to be included on or accompany a shipping paper. This information is provided to assist emergency responders at the time of an incident. An example would be a material safety data sheet (MSD) or a cross-reference to the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).

Incident mitigation information for a hazardous material may include the following:

• Basic description and technical name
• Immediate health hazards
• Risks of fire or explosion
• Immediate precautions in case of an incident
• Spill or leak containment
• Preliminary first aid measures

To learn more about DOT HAZMAT Awareness visit our DOT HAZMAT General Awareness Online Training web page.