# Check the Box Brochure - **operation:** document - **citation:** PHMSA Guidance, Check the Box Brochure - **title:** Check the Box Brochure - **source type:** guidance - **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration - **status:** guidance - **official:** true - **published on:** 2018-09-01 - **effective on:** 2018-09-01 - **summary:** Check the Box Brochure Document checktheboxbrochure-hazardous-matt.pdf (265.67 KB) This brochure raises awareness of the of the many types of common items that are hazardous for transportation and introduces the requirements of hazmat shipping. Issued Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018 - **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-check-box-brochure-73141bef.json - **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-check-box-brochure-73141bef.md - **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-check-box-brochure-73141bef - **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulatory-compliance/phmsa-guidance/check-box-brochure **body:** Check the Box Brochure Document checktheboxbrochure-hazardous-matt.pdf (265.67 KB) This brochure raises awareness of the of the many types of common items that are hazardous for transportation and introduces the requirements of hazmat shipping. Issued Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018 <<>> Meet Hazardous Matt. Certain common household items may seem harmless, but they can be toxic, corrosive, and even explosive if sent or handled inappropriately. Take our friend Hazardous Matt. He can pose a significant safety risk while being transported, which is why he requires specific packaging, marking, and labeling to ensure proper handling and safe transport. Always CHECK THE BOX and make sure your package is safe to send! We all need to do our part to protect people from hazardous material transportation accidents and incidents. Is Hazardous Matt hiding in your package? Remember, if you see Hazardous Matt, don’t forget to identify, package, and communicate him properly. And when you bring your package to the post office or other shipping facility, be sure to notify them that Hazardous Matt is in your package. Need assistance with identifying hazardous materials or any hazardous materials transportation regulations? Check out the webpage below or contact our Hazardous Materials Information Center by telephone at 1-800-467-4922 or 202-366-4488 or by e-mail at infocntr@dot.gov CheckTheBox.dot.gov <<>> Did you know that many consumer products we use every day are hazardous materials? Beauty Products Including essential oils, perfumes/colognes, and haircare products. Paint Including household paints, spray paints, and inks. This also includes paint-related products such as wood stains, paint thinners/removers, and sealants. Dry Ice Including food, medical, or other perishable shipments containing dry ice. Lithium Batteries Including portable chargers/power banks and all devices powered by lithium batteries such as laptops, cell phones, and other consumer electronics. Cleaning Products Including aerosol sprays, bleaches, and swimming pool chemicals. Home & Garden Products Including ammonium nitrate fertilizers/fertilizer compounds, insecticides, and other pest control products. Pressure Containers & Refrigerants Including scuba tanks, fire extinguishers, and any aerosol spray receptacle, even those containing food products or other non-hazardous substances. Refrigerants can include any refrigerated liquid such as liquid nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and argon. Explosive Items Including consumer or novelty fireworks, ammunition, and gun powders. Other Common Household Items Including fuels and camping equipment or other fuel-powered equipment, alcohols, matches/lighters, smoke detectors, and car batteries/other automotive products. Important: It is your responsibility to know whether the product you are shipping is hazardous and to communicate those hazards appropriately. Be sure to identify any hazards when sending products using the postal service or other shipping services. Steps to Safely Send Hazardous Matt and Friends. So you’ve found HazMatt hiding in your package? He needs to be sent with the proper packaging, marking, and labeling— so, what are the next steps? Hazardous Matt and his friends need to be: 1 Accurately Identified Are you sending any of the items listed in this brochure? Is it another item that you are unsure about? Accurately identifying that your item is a hazardous material sets the stage for how to correctly package and communicate your hazmat shipment. Most consumer products that come from reputable manufacturers will have a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that includes a transportation hazard classification for the product. 2  Correctly Packaged Hazardous materials generally have specific packaging requirements to ensure that the hazards are contained and to mitigate the risk of a release of the material in transit. 3 Effectively Communicated The appropriate hazard communication needs to be applied to the package. This can include marks and labels on the package or a shipping paper that accompanies the package in transit. Did you know? Each year, approximately 1,500 transportation incidents occur when undeclared hazardous materials are shipped. Do you need more guidance on how to ship hazardous materials safely? CheckTheBox.dot.gov Our website has helpful resources to identify and ship hazmat safely. You can also contact the Hazardous Materials Information Center at 1-800-467-4922 or by e-mail at infocntr@dot.gov - **truncated:** false - **body characters:** 4540