422 

49 CFR Ch. I (10–1–23 Edition) 

§ 172.404 

by the NRC or the U.S. Competent Au-
thority. 

[Amdt. 172–29, 41 FR 15996, Apr. 15, 1976] 

E

DITORIAL

N

OTE

: For F

EDERAL

R

EGISTER

ci-

tations affecting § 172.403, see the List of CFR 
Sections Affected, which appears in the 
Finding Aids section of the printed volume 
and at 

www.govinfo.gov. 

§ 172.404

Labels for mixed and consoli-

dated packaging. 

(a) 

Mixed packaging. 

When compatible 

hazardous materials having different 
hazard classes are packed within the 
same packaging, or within the same 
outside container or overpack as de-
scribed in § 173.25, the packaging, out-
side container or overpack must be la-
beled as required for each class of haz-
ardous material contained therein. 

(b) 

Consolidated packaging. 

When two 

or more packages containing compat-
ible hazardous materials are placed 
within the same outside container or 
overpack, the outside container or 
overpack must be labeled as required 
for each class of hazardous material 
contained therein, unless labels rep-
resentative of each hazardous material 
in the outside container or overpack 
are visible. 

(c) 

Consolidation bins used by a single 

motor carrier. 

Notwithstanding the pro-

visions of paragraph (b) of this section, 
labeling of a consolidation bin is not 
required under the following condi-
tions: 

(1) The consolidation bin must be re-

usable, made of materials such as plas-
tic, wood, or metal and must have a ca-
pacity of 64 cubic feet or less; 

(2) Hazardous material packages 

placed in the consolidation bin must be 
properly labeled in accordance with 
this subpart; 

(3) Packages must be compatible as 

specified in § 177.848 of this subchapter; 

(4) Packages may only be placed 

within the consolidation bin and the 
bin be loaded on a motor vehicle by an 
employee of a single motor carrier; 

(5) Packages must be secured within 

the consolidation bin by other pack-
ages or by other suitable means in such 
a manner as to prevent shifting of, or 
significant relative motion between, 
the packages that would likely com-
promise the integrity of any package; 

(6) The consolidation bin must be 

clearly and legibly marked on a tag or 
fixed display device with an indication 
of each hazard class or division con-
tained within the bin; 

(7) The consolidation bin must be 

properly blocked and braced within the 
transport vehicle; and 

(8) Consolidation bins may only be 

transported by a single motor carrier, 
or on railcars transporting such vehi-
cles. 

[76 FR 43527, July 20, 2011] 

§ 172.405

Authorized label modifica-

tions. 

(a) For Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8, 

text indicating a hazard (for example 
FLAMMABLE LIQUID) is not required 
on a primary or subsidiary label. 

(b) For a package containing Oxygen, 

compressed, or Oxygen, refrigerated 
liquid, the OXIDIZER label specified in 
§ 172.426 of this subpart, modified to dis-
play the word ‘‘OXYGEN’’ instead of 
‘‘OXIDIZER’’, and the class number 
‘‘2’’ instead of ‘‘5.1’’, may be used in 
place of the NON-FLAMMABLE GAS 
and OXIDIZER labels. Notwithstanding 
the provisions of paragraph (a) of this 
section, the word ‘‘OXYGEN’’ must ap-
pear on the label. 

(c) For a package containing a Divi-

sion 6.1, Packing Group III material, 
the POISON label specified in § 172.430 
may be modified to display the text 
‘‘PG III’’ instead of ‘‘POISON’’ or 
‘‘TOXIC’’ below the mid line of the 
label. Also see § 172.313(d). 

[Amdt. 172–123, 55 FR 52594, Dec. 21, 1990, as 
amended at 56 FR 66255, Dec. 20, 1991; 57 FR 
45458, Oct. 1, 1992; 64 FR 10776, Mar. 5, 1999; 66 
FR 33425, June 21, 2001] 

§ 172.406

Placement of labels. 

(a) 

General. 

(1) Except as provided in 

paragraphs (b) and (e) of this section, 
each label required by this subpart 
must— 

(i) Be printed on or affixed to a sur-

face (other than the bottom) of the 
package or containment device con-
taining the hazardous material; 

(ii) Be located on the same surface of 

the package and near the proper ship-
ping name marking, if the package di-
mensions are adequate; and 

(iii) For transportation by aircraft, 

the entire label(s) must appear on one 

423 

Pipeline and Haz. Matls. Safety Admin., DOT 

§ 172.407 

side of the package. For cylindrical 
packages, the label must be of such di-
mensions that it will not overlap itself. 
In the case of cylindrical packages con-
taining radioactive materials, which 
require two identical labels, these la-
bels must be centered on opposite 
points of the circumference and must 
not overlap each other. If the dimen-
sions of the package are such that two 
identical labels cannot be affixed with-
out overlapping each other, one label is 
acceptable provided it does not overlap 
itself. 

(2) Except as provided in paragraph 

(e) of this section, duplicate labeling is 
not required on a package or contain-
ment device (such as to satisfy redun-
dant labeling requirements). 

(b) 

Exceptions. 

A label may be printed 

on or placed on a securely affixed tag, 
or may be affixed by other suitable 
means to: 

(1) A package that contains no radio-

active material and which has dimen-
sions less than those of the required 
label; 

(2) A cylinder; and 
(3) A package which has such an ir-

regular surface that a label cannot be 
satisfactorily affixed. 

(c) 

Placement of multiple labels. 

When 

primary and subsidiary hazard labels 
are required, they must be displayed 
next to each other. Placement con-
forms to this requirement if labels are 
within 150 mm (6 inches) of one an-
other. 

(d) 

Contrast with background. 

Each 

label must be printed on or affixed to a 
background color contrasting to the 
color specification of the label as re-
quired by § 172.407(d)(1), or must have a 
dotted or solid line outer border, to en-
hance the visibility of the label. How-
ever, the dotted or solid line outer bor-
der may also be used for backgrounds 
of contrasting color. 

(e) 

Duplicate labeling. 

Generally, only 

one of each different required label 
must be displayed on a package. How-
ever, duplicate labels must be dis-
played on at least two sides or two 
ends (other than the bottom) of— 

(1) Each package or overpack having 

a volume of 1.8 m

3

(64 cubic feet) or 

more; 

(2) Each non-bulk package containing 

a radioactive material; 

(3) Each DOT 106 or 110 multi-unit 

tank car tank. Labels must be dis-
played on each end; 

(4) Each portable tank of less than 

3,785 L (1000 gallons) capacity; 

(5) Each freight container or aircraft 

unit load device having a volume of 1.8 
m

3

(64 cubic feet) or more, but less than 

18 m

3

(640 cubic feet). One of each re-

quired label must be displayed on or 
near the closure; and 

(6) An IBC having a volume of 1.8 m

3

 

(64 cubic feet) or more. 

(f) 

Visibility. 

A label must be clearly 

visible and may not be obscured by 
markings or attachments. 

[Amdt. 172–123, 55 FR 52594, Dec. 21, 1990, as 
amended at 56 FR 66255, Dec. 20, 1991; Amdt. 
172–130, 58 FR 51531, Oct. 1, 1993; 73 FR 4716, 
Jan. 28, 2008; 81 FR 35540, June 2, 2016; 87 FR 
44991, July 26, 2022] 

§ 172.407

Label specifications. 

(a) 

Durability. 

Each label, whether 

printed on or affixed to a package, 
must be durable and weather resistant. 
A label on a package must be able to 
withstand, without deterioration or a 
substantial change in color, a 30-day 
exposure to conditions incident to 
transportation that reasonably could 
be expected to be encountered by the 
labeled package. 

(b) 

Design. 

(1) Except for size and 

color, the printing, inner border, and 
symbol on each label must be as shown 
in §§ 172.411 through 172.448 of this sub-
part, as appropriate. 

(2) The dotted line border shown on 

each label is not part of the label speci-
fication, except when used as an alter-
native for the solid line outer border to 
meet the requirements of § 172.406(d) of 
this subpart. 

(c) 

Size. 

(1) Each diamond (square-on- 

point) label prescribed in this subpart 
must be at least 100 mm (3.9 inches) on 
each side with each side having a solid 
line inner border approximately 5 mm 
(.2 inches) inside and parallel to the 
edge. The 5 mm (.2 inches) measure-
ment is from the outside edge of the 
label to the outside of the solid line 
forming the inner border. 

(i) If the size of the package so re-

quires, the dimensions of the label and