{"id":884475,"date":"2025-05-20T07:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T11:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/?p=884475"},"modified":"2025-09-05T07:13:56","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T11:13:56","slug":"labels-placards-and-marks-what-they-are-and-why-they-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/help-center\/articles\/labels-placards-and-marks-what-they-are-and-why-they-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Labels, Placards and Marks \u2013 What They Are and Why They Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Labels, Placards and Marks \u2013 What They Are and Why They Matter<\/h2>\n

A question came up recently from a customer who was trying to find some information in the regulations about when to put identification numbers on placards. They\u2019d looked up \u201cplacards,\u201d and yet the information wasn\u2019t there. It turns out that\u2019s because the identification number, even when shown on a placard, is not categorized as a placard. It\u2019s something called a \u201cmark.\u201d The customer also wanted to know about \u201cplacards for packages,\u201d and we explained that those weren\u2019t placards, they were \u201clabels.\u201d However, the tab on the sticker that included the shipping name and identification number wasn\u2019t a part of the label. They were also, you guessed it, marks.<\/p>\n

This terminology can be confusing, whether you\u2019re trying to order product or just find the relevant sections in the regulations. So, let\u2019s take a deep dive into the differences between labels, placards, and marks.<\/p>\n

Placards<\/h3>\n

The most visible type of warning symbol in the hazardous materials transportation system is the PLACARD. Placards are diamond-shaped symbols that identify the class of hazardous materials in a large container (or, for mixed loads, show the word \u201cDANGEROUS\u201d or \u201cDANGER\u201d instead of a class.) They allow emergency responders to identify hazardous materials in the field from a safe distance. Using binoculars, placards can be seen for hundreds of feet.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, each regulation has a different description of what containers require placards. In the U.S. \u201cHazardous Materials Regulations<\/a>\u201d of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations<\/em> (49 CFR), section 172.504 requires placards as applicable on \u201cbulk packagings, freight containers, unit load devices, transport vehicles or rail cars.\u201d On the other hand, Canada\u2019s \u201cTransportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations<\/a>\u201d (TDGR) requires placards on \u201clarge means of containment,\u201d which are defined by TDGR as packagings exceeding 450 Litres in capacity. This could cover bulk containers, such as tank trucks or railway tank cars, smaller bulk containers such as totes and any vehicles such as trucks or boxcars carrying dangerous goods.<\/p>\n

Placards are large, since they\u2019re required for large containers, and need to be visible. The standard size for a placard is 250 millimetres per side, although in some cases they can be made smaller. In Canada, placards are non-worded except for the \u201cDANGER\u201d placard for mixed loads. (Class 7 placards may also be worded.) In the United States, wording is usually optional on placards (with a few exceptions such as the mixed load placard, which in the U.S. says \u201cDANGEROUS\u201d.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Hazard<\/td>\n\"Dangerous,<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

In 49 CFR, placards have their own area, Subpart F<\/a> of Part 172. This makes them easy to distinguish from labels and other marks. In TDGR, it\u2019s a little less organized, since they\u2019re lumped in with labels and marks in Part 4, \u201cSafety Marks.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

When buying placards, make sure that they\u2019re suitable for intended conditions of transport, because they will normally be exposed to the elements.<\/p>\n

Labels<\/h3>\n

In general, labels are like placards, only smaller, because they are for identifying smaller packages. These diamond-shaped symbols have a standard size of 100 millimetres (4 inches) per side. Again, Canadian labels are normally non-worded (except for infectious substances and radioactives, which must be worded in English and French.) 49 CFR makes wording on U.S. labels optional for most classes, but still required for infectious and radioactive substances.<\/p>\n

TDGR says labels must be displayed on \u201csmall means of containment,\u201d which are packagings not exceeding 450 Litres capacity. They are also an option for identifying intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), which are usually between 450 and 3000 Litres capacity. You\u2019ll only need one label per package, except for radioactives and IBCs, which would require labels on two opposite sides.<\/p>\n

In the U.S., it\u2019s a little more complicated, but is spelled out in Subpart D<\/a> of Part 172 of 49 CFR<\/em>. Section 172.400 states that labels are required on package or containment devices which are:<\/p>\n