General specifications for placards.

(a) Strength and durability. Placards must conform to the following:

(1) A placard may be made of any plastic, metal or other material capable of withstanding, without deterioration or a substantial reduction in effectiveness, a 30-day exposure to open weather conditions.

(2) A placard made of tagboard must be at least equal to that designated commercially as white tagboard. Tagboard must have a weight of at least 80 kg (176 pounds) per ream of 610 by 910 mm (24 by 36-inch) sheets, waterproofing materials included. In addition, each placard made of tagboard must be able to pass a 414 kPa (60 p.s.i.) Mullen test.

(3) Reflective or retroreflective materials may be used on a placard if the prescribed colors, strength and durability are maintained.

(b) Design. (1) Except as provided in § 172.332 of this part, each placard must be as described in this subpart, and except for size and color, the printing, inner border and symbol must be as shown in §§ 172.521 through 172.560 of this subpart, as appropriate.

(2) The dotted line border shown on each placard is not part of the placard specification. However, a dotted or solid line outer border may be used when needed to indicate the full size of a placard that is part of a larger format or is on a background of a non-contrasting color.

(3) For other than Class 7 or the DANGEROUS placard, text indicating a hazard (for example, “FLAMMABLE”) is not required. Text may be omitted from the OXYGEN placard only if the specific identification number is displayed on the placard.

(4) For a placard corresponding to the primary or subsidiary hazard class of a material, the hazard class or division number must be displayed in the lower corner of the placard. However, a permanently affixed subsidiary placard meeting the specifications of this section which were in effect on October 1, 2001, (such as, a placard without the hazard class or division number displayed in the lower corner of the placard) and which was installed prior to September 30, 2001, may continue to be used as a subsidiary placard in domestic transportation by rail or highway, provided the color tolerances are maintained and are in accordance with the display requirements in this subchapter. Stocks of non-permanently affixed subsidiary placards in compliance with the requirements in effect on September 30, 2001, may continue to be used in domestic transportation by rail or highway until October 1, 2005, or until current stocks are depleted, whichever occurs first.

(c) Size. (1) Each placard prescribed in this subpart must measure at least 273 mm (10.8 inches) on each side and must have a solid line inner border approximately 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) from each edge.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subpart, the hazard class or division number, as appropriate, must be shown in numerals measuring at least 41 mm (1.6 inches) in height.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subpart, when text indicating a hazard is displayed on a placard, the printing must be in letters measuring at least 41 mm (1.6 inches) in height.

(d) Color. (1) The background color, symbol, text, numerals and inner border on a placard must be as specified in §§ 172.521 through 172.560 of this subpart, as appropriate.

(2) Black and any color on a placard must be able to withstand, without substantial change—

(i) A 72-hour fadeometer test (for a description of equipment designed for this purpose, see ASTM G 23-69 or ASTM G 26-70); and

(ii) A 30-day exposure to open weather.

(3) Upon visual examination, a color on a placard must fall within the color tolerances displayed on the appropriate Hazardous Materials Label and Placard Color Tolerance Chart (see § 172.407(d) (4)).

(4) The placard color must extend to the inner border and may extend to the edge of the placard in the area designated on each placard except the color on the CORROSIVE and RADIOACTIVE placards (black and yellow, respectively) must extend only to the inner border.

(e) Form identification. A placard may contain form identification information, including the name of its maker, provided that information is printed outside of the solid line inner border in no larger than 10-point type.

(f) Exceptions. When hazardous materials are offered for transportation or transported under the provisions of §§ 171.11, 171.12, or 171.12a of this subchapter, a placard conforming to the specifications in the ICAO Technical Instructions, the IMDG Code, or the TDG Regulations, respectively, may be used in place of a corresponding placard that conforms to the requirements of this subpart, except that a bulk packaging, transport vehicle, or freight container containing a material poisonous by inhalation (see § 171.8 of this subchapter) must be placarded in accordance with this subpart (see §§ 171.12(b)(8), 171.12(e) and 171.12a(b)(5) of this subchapter).

(g) Trefoil symbol. The trefoil symbol on the RADIOACTIVE placard must meet the appropriate specification in appendix B of this part.

[Amdt. 172-123, 55 FR 52601, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66260, Dec. 20, 1991; 57 FR 45460, Oct. 1, 1992; Amdt. 172-143, 60 FR 50305, Sept. 28, 1995; 65 FR 50460, Aug. 18, 2000; 66 FR 33426, June 21, 2001; 66 FR 44255, Aug. 22, 2001; 67 FR 15743, Apr. 3, 2002]