Using the Segregation Table for Transportation by Highway

Hazardous materials regulations under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) provide the segregation or separation of certain hazardous materials when being shipped by the various modes of transportation. Yesterday we reviewed what your employees need to know about segregation when loading vehicles for transportation on public highways. Today we will look at some examples when using the Segregation Table for transporting hazardous materials by highway.

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Hazardous materials employees must be trained in using the Segregation Table in order to safely package hazardous materials for transportation.

Note. In order to use the segregation table, your employees must know the hazard classes of the materials they are to load on the vehicle.

Access to the Segregation Table

Make sure your hazmat employees who will be packing vehicles have access to the Segregation Table for Hazardous Materials at 49 CFR 177.848. For those employees who do not have Internet access on the job, print out the table for them to practice.

Training Examples

Example 1: With the Segregation Table for Hazardous Materials on hand, find in the far left column the listing for “Poisonous Gas, Zone A.” The number following this material’s name shows that this is hazard Class 2.3. At the top of the Table, find the column for “Class 3” (flammable liquid). Follow that column down until it intersects with “Poisonous Gas, Zone A.” There is an “X” in the block where Class 2.3, Zone A row and Class 3 column intersect. Do not load, transport, or store these materials together.

Example 2: Find “Flammable liquids in the far left column.” The number following this name indicates that it is hazard Class 3. At the top of the Table, find the column for “Class 2.2” (nontoxic, nonflammable gases). Follow that column down to its intersection with Flammable liquids. The area where these intersect is blank, which means that you may load, transport, or store two materials together.

Example 3: Search the far left column for “Oxidizers.” This table shows this material is hazard Class 5.1. At the top of the Table, find the column for Class 3 (flammable liquid). Follow the column to its intersection with Oxidizers. There is an “O” where these intersect. The instructions for using the Table indicate that you may not load, transport, or store these materials together—unless a separation is maintained to prevent commingling of the hazardous material.

Example 4: Notice that the explosives in 49 CFR 177.848 have an asterisk in Columns 1.1 through 1.6. The asterisk indicates that you should use the Compatibility Table at 49 CFR 177.848(f) for segregation requirements among different Class 1 (explosive) materials.