Waterways - Segregation Requirements

Supervision

For stowage to be permissible on all cargo spaces of all vessel types, certain rules must be followed. Packages containing hazardous materials that might react dangerously with one another must not be placed next to each other or in a position that would allow a dangerous interaction in the event of a leakage.

Segregation is obtained by maintaining certain distances between incompatible hazardous materials, by requiring the presence of one or more steel bulkheads or decks between them, or a combination thereof. Intervening spaces between such hazardous materials may be filled with other cargo that is not incompatible with the hazardous materials.

The general requirements for segregation between the various classes of HAZMAT are shown in the segregation table in §176.83(b). In addition to these general requirements, there may be a need to segregate a particular material from other materials that would contribute to its hazard. Such segregation requirements are indicated by code numbers in Column 10B of the §172.101 table.

Whenever hazardous materials are stowed together, in a cargo transport unit or not, the segregation of such hazardous materials from others must always be in accordance with the most restrictive requirements for any of the hazardous materials concerned.

When the §172.101 table or §172.402 requires packages to bear a subsidiary hazard label or labels, the segregation appropriate to the subsidiary hazards must be applied when that segregation is more restrictive than that required by the primary hazard.

Segregation exceptions may be found in §176.80, §176.83, and §176.84.

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