# YRC Freight, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 14-0031 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2014-03-12 14-0031 response to YRC Freight, Inc. concerning 172.500, 172.502, 172.504. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Ms. Susan D. Camara Safety Manager YRC Freight, Inc. 1990 Roe A venue, MS/ A340 Overland Park, KS 66211 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 MAR 1 2 2014 Ref. No. 14-0031 Dear Ms. Camara: This responds to your January 27, 2014 request for clarification of the use of the DANGEROUS placard under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask if§§ 172.500(b )(6) and 172.502( c) permit the display of a DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle containing two or more categories of non-bulk when one of those commodities is a combustible liquid in a non-bulk package. In accordance with§ 172.504(b), a freight container, unit load device, transport vehicle, or rail car which contains non-bulk packages with two or more categories of hazardous materials that require different placards specified in table 2 of§ 172.504(e) may be placarded with a DANGEROUS placard instead of the separate placarding specified for each of the materials. Section 172.500(b)(6) states that "placarding does not apply to combustible liquids in non-bulk packaging." However,§ 172.502(c) states "placards may be displayed for a hazardous material, even when not required, if the placarding otherwise conforms to the requirements of this subpart." It is your understanding that displaying a DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle containing Table 2 Class 3 flammable liquid and Table 2 combustible liquid (both in non-bulk packages) is permissible under the HMR. Your understanding is correct. A COMBUSTIBLE placard is not required for combustible liquids in non-bulk packaging(§ 172.500 (b )(6)). However, a placard may be displayed for a hazardous material, even when not required, provided the placarding is carried out in conformance with Part 172, Subpart F. Therefore the use ofthe DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle containing Class 3 flammable liquid and combustible liquids, both in non-bulk packages, is authorized under the Part 1 72, Subpart F provided all other requirements of § 172.504(b) are met. I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office on (202) 366-8553. Sincerely, 7kZJ~ Robert Benedict Chief, Regulations Development Branch Standards and Rulemaking Division <<>> ]oo+he__ 3,-,~. 5ooc-h) ~) 9 r7~, so4 (c) 'PI acard 1 fl 3 JY-- oo3t January 27, 2014 Mr. Charles E. Betts Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards U.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-1 0) 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor Washington, DC 20590 Dear Mr. Betts: I am requesting written clarification about the interaction of 49 CFR 172.500(b)(6), which waives placarding requirements for combustible liquids in non-bulk packaging, and 172.502(c), which allows permissive placarding for loads that do not require placarding but are shipped in conformance to the Hazardous Materials Regulations. Is it permissible to display a DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle containing two or more categories of non-bulk 172.504 Table 2 items when one of those commodities is a combustible liquid in a non-bulk package? 172.500(b)(6) Applicability of placarding requirements states that placarding does not apply to "combustible liquids in non-bulk packagings." 172.502(c) states "Placards may be displayed for a hazardous material, even when not required, if the placarding otherwise conforms to the requirements of this subpart." 172.504(b) states that a "transport vehicle, ... which contains two or more categories of hazardous materials that require different placards specified in table 2 ... may be placarded with a DANGEROUS placard instead of the placard specified for each of the materials in table 2." In 172.504 Table 2, Class 3 flammable liquid which requires a FLAMMABLE placard is listed separately from Combustible liquid which requires a COMBUSTIBLE placard. These distinct entries indicate each is a separate hazardous material classification. Therefore, displaying a DANGEROUS placard on a transport vehicle containing table 2 Class 3 Flammable Liquid and table 2 Combustible Liquid (both in non-bulk packagings) should be allowed. <<>> Your guidance is greatly appreciated and I look forward to your interpretation on this matter. Thank you, Susan D. Camara YRC Freight, Inc. Manager Safety 1990 Roe Avenue, MS/A340 Overland Park, KS 66211 ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `4de840a57d13f26345825f646bbccc310647f6d14eee0c825d93b32da88503aa` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-23T10:33:41.644Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-14-0031` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [ "YRC Freight, Inc." ], "individuals": [ "Ms. Susan D. 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