Aviation - Placarding

When an accident causes hazardous materials in transportation to be released, the vehicle operator, emergency response teams, and the surrounding community all face imminent danger. To aid emergency response teams, the DOT developed a system of placarding for the rapid identification of hazardous materials. Improperly placarded or unplacarded hazmat shipments place the lives of these individuals and others at risk.

When determining the placarding requirements, if a hazardous material is contained within a unit load device, then a placard representing the hazard class for the hazardous material must be displayed on both sides and each end, regardless of quantity. Placards must also be strong and durable enough to withstand 30 days of exposure to the elements. They must measure at least 250 mm x 250 mm (9.84 in).

Placarding is a joint responsibility between the shipper and the carrier to make sure that the correct placard has been offered or affixed. Always read every placard very carefully and obey it virtually without question. Certain placards are so important that their absence can be enough to ground a flight until they are reinstalled.

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