What Are DOT Labels?

Nobody wants a surprise, especially if it involves hazardous materials. D.O.T. hazmat labels give you forewarning of the hazards that are contained inside each package. The labels are diamond-shaped, color-matched, and have pictograms of the hazard and the class that the material belongs in. They also include special handling instructions. Some examples are “flammable gas” labels, “explosive” labels, and “poison” labels, which are all required to meet certain label design specifications.

When You Might Need DOT Labels

D.O.T. labels must also be durable and weather-resistant since they are exposed to harsh outdoor conditions during transportation. Here is when you might need D.O.T. labels:

You Are Shipping Hazardous Materials

Safety is the highest priority in the shipping and receiving industries. If you are shipping a package that includes hazardous materials, you will need to comply with D.O.T. label regulations. When labeling a package for hazmat, apply labels for both the primary and subsidiary hazard.

The D.O.T. labels can help you communicate hazards to your employees before the item ships, so they know what they are handling before it gets placed on a truck. This is just one example of how D.O.T. labels identify hazards and make shipping a safer process at every point of transit.

You Are Transporting Hazardous Materials Over the Road

Whether you are dispatcher, or you have your own company drivers, everyone who is involved should understand D.O.T. requirements. Sometimes carriers need to place hazmat in specific locations on a vehicle, and D.O.T. labels help clarify the separation.

Placing D.O.T. labels on hazardous materials will ensure your products arrive safely at their destination without hefty fines or rejections. If you are scheduling the transportation of hazardous materials, D.O.T. labels can prevent delays and keep your drivers safe on the road.

Contact Label Solutions to Learn More

Label Solutions offers in-house regulatory compliance services relating to DOT, OSHA, and other governing bodies. Our proactive communication, precise knowledge, and attention to detail enable us to help our customers stay in compliance. We encourage you to continue browsing our website or contact a label expert today to learn more!

Regulatory Compliance: The Governing Bodies Explained

You might know that DOT stands for the U.S. Department of Transportation, and you might even know that CGA stands for the Compressed Gas Association. But there are other regulatory compliant terms and governing agencies that you should know, and Label Solutions is here to help. In today’s blog, we explain more about the regulatory compliance governing bodies and how they might apply to your business.

What Is OSHA?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a governmental agency that imposes standards to assure safe working conditions for men and women. OSHA hires inspectors who enforce the GHS guidelines and administer fines to businesses who fail to comply (by improperly labeling cylinders).

Label Solutions wants to help you avoid OSHA (& DOT) fines relating to your cylinder labels. If you’d like more information, you can get in touch with our on-site regulatory specialist who will assist you with any questions or concerns.

What Is GHS?

GHS stands for the Global Harmonization System. It’s a United Nations standard that classifies and defines the hazards of chemical products, such as compressed gas. GHS has a system that communicates safety information on labels and the new Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

How Does GHS Apply to Me?

It’s essential for everyone in your facility to be trained on the new Globally Harmonization System and understand it. You’ve probably seen the words WARNING and DANGER in all caps on chemicals. These are called signal words, which GHS uses to indicate how severe the hazards are for products. WARNINGS means that there is a lower hazard level, while DANGER demonstrates high risk.

Pictograms are symbols that convey specific information, and hazard statements describe the nature and degree of the hazard. It’s crucial for your workers to recognize these signal words, hazard statements and pictograms within GHS, so they can take the proper precautions to protect their health and safety.

What Does the NPGA Stand for?

The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) is the national trade association that represents the United States propane industry. Label Solutions partners with FEI, RMI, and Meeder Equipment to deliver fully compliant propane labels and signage.

What Does the NFPA Stand for?

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a U.S. trade association that creates private, copyrighted codes and standards for local governments to use. If you’re looking for fire extinguisher tags and labels, Label Solutions is your destination. We will work with you to supply fully compliant fire extinguisher labels.

What Does the NACD Stand for?

The National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) is an international group of chemical distributors and supply chain partners. Member companies formulate, transport, and market chemical products for many customers. One of our top priorities is helping you stay compliant with regulatory requirements in the chemical distribution industry.

In-House Services at Label Solutions

Label Solutions is committed to helping our clients stay in compliance with all of these governing bodies. To learn more about our in-house regulatory compliance advisory services, contact us today.

Tag Archives: DOT labels

When You Might Need DOT Compliant Labels