rfrogger120
Expert Expediter
when hauling hazmat loads who provides the placards the customer?
placards
- Thread starter rfrogger120
- Start date
DOT regs require shipper to supply HazMat placards
The shipper is to provide the placards but the driver has to figure out how to attach them! Always good to have clear tape if you receive more placards then you have holders.
Interesting point about clear tape. Six years ago I was cited in Colorado for using Duck tape to secure my front placard to the bumper, obstructing the white border of the placard. But when I slide the placards into the holders on the box the white border is also obstructed, go figure?
You will often see placarded trucks using Duck tape but its an easy way to get pulled into the scales in Colorado
You will often see placarded trucks using Duck tape but its an easy way to get pulled into the scales in Colorado
The problem you can run into is when the shipper does not normally do haz mat. Example would be a return shipment to a chemical plant because it was the wrong commodity. These shippers might be totlly unaware of shipping haz/mat regulations.
You can buy at most truck supply centers a set of flip placards that have the common haz/mat names such as flammable,corrosive,poison etc.
I have always felt that when a customer calls in for a haz/mat shipment they should be directed to a special agent who makes sure they have all the necessary paperwork and placards.
You can buy at most truck supply centers a set of flip placards that have the common haz/mat names such as flammable,corrosive,poison etc.
I have always felt that when a customer calls in for a haz/mat shipment they should be directed to a special agent who makes sure they have all the necessary paperwork and placards.
With self adhering placards, I peel off the backing, cut a couple of inches off two of the perpendicular sides of the backing and replace it to the sticky side of the placard. This gives me a one inch stickey border around the placard perimeter which is sufficient to keep it in place. The placard installled this way is easy to remove and usually leaves no residue.
For non-adhesive placards, I use white electrician tape that can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes. This also leaves no reside, stays in place and retains the white border.
For non-adhesive placards, I use white electrician tape that can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes. This also leaves no reside, stays in place and retains the white border.
We also use the peel off backing of the placards to place behind the signs so only the outside of the placard is actually stuck to the truck. That works great unless in bad weather such as rain or snow and we have had them come off. You do not want to get stopped and not have your placards displayed when hauling a HazMat load. In the summer they seem to peal off very easy but when they are cold be prepared for a battle to get them off. We have found that a plastic knife used gently instead of your finger nail seems to very well for us. We have peeled them off enough times that we have added a second holder to the sides and the back of the truck to put another sign in. We will still have to stick the sign to the front bumper but will use the above method of only sticking the outside of the sign to the bumper.
When applying self adhering placcards I peel the paper backing back about 2 inches at each point or corner. I crease the backing folding it toward the center of the placcard. I do this with every point or corner. I then apply the placcard. Only the corners have exposed adhesive.
When removing, if you can't get a fingernail under a corner, use a knife and cut a slit in the center of the placcard. The center is where the paper backing was folded into. It is easy to cut and then the placcard can be peeled from the center out to the corners. Works great on sheet metal or FRP.
I got busted in Wisconsin because the placcard on my hood (Chevy van) was not at a perfect 90 degree. I got a verbal warning about that and a fix it ticket for the rear license plate lamp being burned out. This in the middle of the day. All told, spent nearly an 1 1/2 hours at the scale. Had to weigh twice, had the tire rating checked and the GVWR looked at. I was close on the weight. I think I had about 2800# of paint. I believe it was out of frustration that I got cited for the license plate lamp. She couldn't get me for over weight and could not show the statute for the placcard being at exactly 90 degrees. I don't think she was going to let me go with a "have a nice day".
Since that incident I purchase a plastic placcard holder. I cut a piece of sheet metal the same size as the holder. This was done to add some stiffness to the plastic holder. I drilled two holes through the sheet metal that match my license plate holder holes. If I have a placcarded load I remove my license plate and attach the placcard holder using the license plate screws. Of course this opens me up to being busted for not having a front license plate. I do put the plate on the top of the dash toward the windshield. Haven't had a problem yet. But then I never had a problem with just sticking the placcard on the hood until then. So it goes.
When removing, if you can't get a fingernail under a corner, use a knife and cut a slit in the center of the placcard. The center is where the paper backing was folded into. It is easy to cut and then the placcard can be peeled from the center out to the corners. Works great on sheet metal or FRP.
I got busted in Wisconsin because the placcard on my hood (Chevy van) was not at a perfect 90 degree. I got a verbal warning about that and a fix it ticket for the rear license plate lamp being burned out. This in the middle of the day. All told, spent nearly an 1 1/2 hours at the scale. Had to weigh twice, had the tire rating checked and the GVWR looked at. I was close on the weight. I think I had about 2800# of paint. I believe it was out of frustration that I got cited for the license plate lamp. She couldn't get me for over weight and could not show the statute for the placcard being at exactly 90 degrees. I don't think she was going to let me go with a "have a nice day".
Since that incident I purchase a plastic placcard holder. I cut a piece of sheet metal the same size as the holder. This was done to add some stiffness to the plastic holder. I drilled two holes through the sheet metal that match my license plate holder holes. If I have a placcarded load I remove my license plate and attach the placcard holder using the license plate screws. Of course this opens me up to being busted for not having a front license plate. I do put the plate on the top of the dash toward the windshield. Haven't had a problem yet. But then I never had a problem with just sticking the placcard on the hood until then. So it goes.
Post Script to the above: If the placcards have only been on a day or two and have not been cut in the center, simply fold the corners of backing, back from the center and rub down. The placcards can be saved and reused. Thus sparing a glue tree and a placcard plant.
As others have said, the shipper provides the placards.
That said, some drivers like to carry extras with them. If the shipper happens to be out of placards, haveing some of your own can save the load and avoid a canceled run. That has happened to us, but we also take an extra close look at everything else the shipper had done on that load. Being out of placards that a shipper is supposed to have is a red flag. If they messed up that part, they may have messed up other parts too.
We always ask for extra placards from shippers, in case one blows off or is otherwise damaged. That gives you the ability to build a placard collection over time. Just keep them in a secure pouch or container. If you were in an accident and your placard colection was strewn about, emergency responders would not likely go anywhere near your truck until they figured out what was in and not in your truck.
That said, some drivers like to carry extras with them. If the shipper happens to be out of placards, haveing some of your own can save the load and avoid a canceled run. That has happened to us, but we also take an extra close look at everything else the shipper had done on that load. Being out of placards that a shipper is supposed to have is a red flag. If they messed up that part, they may have messed up other parts too.
We always ask for extra placards from shippers, in case one blows off or is otherwise damaged. That gives you the ability to build a placard collection over time. Just keep them in a secure pouch or container. If you were in an accident and your placard colection was strewn about, emergency responders would not likely go anywhere near your truck until they figured out what was in and not in your truck.