2. If the manufacturer or vendor is a known chemical company or their company name indicates an
association with chemicals, the item may contain hazardous materials.
3. The item nomenclature may indicate the item contains hazardous materials.
4. In Title 49 CFR, a flashpoint marking of less than 141oF indicates that the material is
FLAMMABLE and a flashpoint marking of 141oF or more but less than 200oF indicates that the
material is COMBUSTIBLE under transportation regulations. However, under 29 CFR 1910.106 a
flashpoint marking of less than 100oF indicates that the material is FLAMMABLE and a flashpoint
marking of 100oF or more but less than 200oF indicates that the material is COMBUSTIBLE. These
materials require hazardous and/or specialized storage under 29 CFR 1910.106.
5. If the package has a United Nations (UN) standard marking (performance oriented packaging
(POP)), it normally contains a hazardous material. However, nonhazardous material may be shipped
in a package containing a UN POP marking.
6. Items with shelf-life markings may be unstable and become hazardous if they deteriorate.
2.9 Non-Regulatory Requirements
A. ANSI Z129.1. "American National Standard for Hazardous Industrial Chemicals - Precautionary
Labeling" contains recommended labeling information for communicating the immediate (acute) and
delayed (chronic) health hazards of chemicals. The precautionary label usually identifies the
hazardous material followed by a signal word, the type of hazard, precautionary measures, first aid
instructions, antidotes, notes to physicians, instructions in case of fire and spill or leak, and
instructions for container handling and storage. The signal words DANGER!, WARNING! and
CAUTION! indicate the relative degree of severity of an immediate hazard in decreasing order. The
word POISON suggests a highly toxic chemical. The acute effects referred to most frequently are
irritation, corrosivity, sensitization and lethal dose. The chronic effects are usually carcinogenicity,
teratogenicity and mutagenicity. Although these are important health effects, they do not adequately
cover the considerable range of acute and chronic effects which may occur as a result of occupational
exposure. If a package is labeled with a precautionary label but not a DOT label, the material may not
be a physical safety hazard for transportation or storage, but is a potential health risk when handled or
used.
B. Another commonly used warning labeling system is one developed by the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) which is used primarily by the fire protection community. It is a
diamond shaped label which is divided into four quadrants with a number ranging from 0 to 4 in the
upper three quadrants to denote the degree of hazard (0 being the lowest and 4 the highest) and the
bottom quadrant used to identify a specific hazard symbol for additional fire fighting information.
These numbers are intended to provide, at a glance, a general idea of the severity of the health, fire,
and reactivity hazards as they relate to fire prevention, exposure and control. The objectives are to
provide an appropriate alerting signal and on the spot information to safeguard the lives of
firefighting personnel. While the label is satisfactory for the intended purpose of fire protection, it is
not acceptable for hazard communication purposes nor can it be visible during shipment as it can be
confused with a DOT shipping label. NFPA labels (when used) should be applied to hazardous
materials in storage only.
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