In its most recent data, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) had performed over 154,000 roadside inspections of trucks in 2012 targeting compliance with hazardous materials transportation regulations. During these inspections, DOT inspectors found almost 35,000 violations.
The top violation DOT inspectors found was that there was not a copy of the US. DOT hazardous materials registration number with the truck. At 2,823 violations, this mistake accounted for 8.14% of the total violations. Following at a close second, inspectors found 2,669 instances when packages were not secured in the vehicle.
Four of the top 10 violations have to do with placarding requirements. In some cases the placards were not there at all and in some cases, the placards were damaged or obscured.
Three of the top 10 violations are related to shipping papers. For instance, did you realize that you cannot carry the shipping papers in a clipboard that has a metal cover unless you have clearly marked the clipboard to indicate that it contains the shipping papers?
Here’s look at the top 10 hazmat transportation violations by trucks uncovered by DOT inspectors.
| Regulation | Violation Description | # of inspections | # of violations | % of total violations | |
| 1 | 49 CFR 107.620 | No copy of US DOT hazardous materials registration number | 2,822 | 2,823 | 8.14% |
| 2 | 49 CFR 177.834 | Package not secure in vehicle | 2,603 | 2,669 | 7.69% |
| 3 | 49 CFR 172.516 | Placard damaged, deteriorated, or obscured | 2,119 | 2,419 | 6.97% |
| 4 | 49 CFR 172.504 | Vehicle not placarded as required | 1,901 | 2,044 | 5.89% |
| 5 | 49 CFR 177.817 | No shipping papers (Carrier) | 1,754 | 1,780 | 5.13% |
| 6 | 49 CFR 177.817 | Shipping paper accessibility | 1,641 | 1,646 | 4.74% |
| 7 | 49 CFR 172.602 | Emergency response information missing | 1,540 | 1,547 | 4.46% |
| 8 | 49 CFR 172.502 | Failure to provide carrier required placards | 1,450 | 1,519 | 4.38% |
| 9 | 49 CFR 172.200 | Offering a hazardous material without preparing a shipping paper. (None at all) | 1,009 | 1,032 | 2.97% |
| 10 | 49 CFR 177.823 | No placards/markings when required | 912 | 1,005 | 2.90% |
Data Source: FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System
Don’t get caught short by a DOT hazmat inspection. Check out the following materials before shipping or transporting hazardous materials:
Guide for Preparing Shipping Papers
PHMSA Letter of Interpretation on the Accessibility of Shipping Papers
DOT Chart 14: Hazardous Materials Markings, Labeling, and Placarding Guide
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