# Mr. J.H. Cleveland — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 05-0170  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2005-07-27

05-0170 concerning 172.203.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Pipeline and
Administration
Hazardous Materials Safety
JJL 2 7 2005
Mr. J.H. Cleveland
125 Kossutz Street
Ref. No. 05-0170
Piscataway N.J. 08854
Dear Mr. Cleveland:
This is in response to your request for clarification of requirements to identify poisonous
materials on shipping papers under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts
171-180). Specifically, you ask whether the word "poison" must appear as part of a shipping
description if the wording "6.l" or "poison" already appears in the shipping description.
The answer is no. In accordance with 49 CFR 172.203 (m)(1), if a liquid or solid material meets
the definition of Division 6.1, Packing Group I or II, and has the hazard class entry or the word
"poison" as part of the shipping description, duplication of the word "poison" is not required.
Note that in accordance with § 172.203 (m)(2), materials that are poisonous by inhalation must
include the words "Poison-Inhalation Hazard" and the words "Zone A", "Zone B" "Zone C" or
"Zone D", for gases or "Zone A" or "Zone B" for liquids as appropriate, immediately following
the shipping description. If the word "poison" already appears in the shipping description, only
the words "Inhalation Hazard" must appear.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if you require additional assistance
Sincerely
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
172•203
050170

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Reterford
§112.203
Proper Shipping Name
125 Kossutz Strzet
05-0170
Piscatoway, MV.T.
Zp 08854
1h- 731-752-8608
Pn. 1008-742-0585
Fox 132-751-7009
Go: 4.5 Dopant at of as potato
400 SerEnt Staset, SW.
Washington, D.C., 20590
STA: Mr Jot A. Gole
Chief, Strudreds Deuzhoposet
OFFice of Haz rat Strodreds
Subject: Recuest chocifiention of the shipping paper
MEaniREMent to Poisonous Maternis, 49 CEr. Part 172.203
(3) (MICE):
definino f a Division cal, Pain Gump 1 or s securing to
this sut chipter is cret dis chis is the stepy came on, class
entry, the ward tave a fusin shall be intol on the suppine
I have cheeked severed hunted shoppie popes that
sentify the Druiston Carly preser found one with the word Plat 6s
It mate the use of the wand shose" as offed to. "must.
Should I ossume that was f Divisio 6l in the profe
shepper, cous neater the creed to vleusy the word toss a feeses?
→.1Clevela

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050170.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `43254e2e01d48fb462878dc42daa319ec203b4f4dd53328de22527047a065e63`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T10:07:21.367Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-05-0170`

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