Prior to Drum or Container Handling - Preliminary Inspection Details (Mislabeled Drums)

An important part of a preliminary inspection is to check the drums or containers for labels that might indicate hazardous materials are inside. However, it is also important to note that the labels may not always be accurate. Drums are often mislabeled. This often happens when a drum or container is reused and still has the old label from previous hazardous materials in place.

Only proper sampling and testing (characterization) will reveal a drum or container's contents. Therefore, do not assume that a drum's label reflects its contents, and always exercise caution when it comes to handling drums and containers.

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