[mdf1576]

So how do you do guys keep your paperwork. Do you put the MSDS on top or your company BL on top Or the shippers BL on top? Ive been taught all 3 ways. And was wondering what yall do. Or what is the right way to do. Or if it even matters. Currently I put MSDS on top followed by shippers BL and my company BL
TIA
Mike

[yoopr]

Hazmat papers HAVE to be at the top of all papers and within easy access when opening the door

[PhuzzyGnu]

I have a silver Saunders clipboard that I keep my load paperwork in. It is always in the driver's door pocket so I can grab it and GTFOOT in an incident.

More info:

§ 177.817 Shipping papers.

(a) General requirements. A person may not accept a hazardous material for transportation or transport a hazardous material by highway unless that person has received a shipping paper prepared in accordance with part 172 of this subchapter or the material is excepted from shipping paper requirements under this subchapter. A subsequent carrier may not transport a hazardous material unless it is accompanied by a shipping paper prepared in accordance with part 172 of this subchapter, except for §172.204, which is not required.

(b) Shipper certification. An initial carrier may not accept a hazardous material offered for transportation unless the shipping paper describing the material includes a shipper's certification which meets the requirements in §172.204 of this subchapter. Except for a hazardous waste, the certification is not required for shipments to be transported entirely by private carriage and for bulk shipments to be transported in a cargo tank supplied by the carrier.

(c) Requirements when interlining with carriers by rail. A motor carrier shall mark on the shipping paper required by this section, if it offers or delivers a freight container or transport vehicle to a rail carrier for further transportation:

(1) A description of the freight container or transport vehicle; and

(2) The kind of placard affixed to the freight container or transport vehicle.

(d) This subpart does not apply to a material that is excepted from shipping paper requirements as specified in §172.200 of this subchapter.

(e) Shipping paper accessibility—accident or inspection. A driver of a motor vehicle containing hazardous material, and each carrier using such a vehicle, shall ensure that the shipping paper required by this section is readily available to, and recognizable by, authorities in the event of accident or inspection. Specifically, the driver and the carrier shall:

(1) Clearly distinguish the shipping paper, if it is carried with other shipping papers or other papers of any kind, by either distinctively tabbing it or by having it appear first; and

(2) Store the shipping paper as follows:

(i) When the driver is at the vehicle's controls, the shipping paper shall be: (A) Within his immediate reach while he is restrained by the lap belt; and (B) either readily visible to a person entering the driver's compartment or in a holder which is mounted to the inside of the door on the driver's side of the vehicle.

(ii) When the driver is not at the vehicle's controls, the shipping paper shall be: (A) In a holder which is mounted to the inside of the door on the driver's side of the vehicle; or (B) on the driver's seat in the vehicle.

(f) Retention of shipping papers. Each person receiving a shipping paper required by this section must retain a copy or an electronic image thereof, that is accessible at or through its principal place of business and must make the shipping paper available, upon request, to an authorized official of a Federal, State, or local government agency at reasonable times and locations. For a hazardous waste, the shipping paper copy must be retained for three years after the material is accepted by the initial carrier. For all other hazardous materials, the shipping paper copy must be retained for one year after the material is accepted by the carrier. Each shipping paper copy must include the date of acceptance by the carrier. A motor carrier (as defined in §390.5 of subchapter B of chapter III of subtitle B) using a shipping paper without change for multiple shipments of one or more hazardous materials having the same shipping name and identification number may retain a single copy of the shipping paper, instead of a copy for each shipment made, if the carrier also retains a record of each shipment made that includes shipping name, identification number, quantity transported, and date of shipment.

[Amdt. 177–35, 41 FR 16130, Apr. 15, 1976, as amended by Amdt. 177–35A, 41 FR 40691, Sept. 20, 1976; Amdt. 177–48, 45 FR 47670, Nov. 10, 1980; Amdt. 177–65, 50 FR 11055, Mar. 19, 1985; Amdt. 177–72, 53 FR 17160, May 13, 1988; 67 FR 46128, July 12, 2002; 67 FR 66574, Nov. 1, 2002; 68 FR 19277, Apr. 18, 2003; 68 FR 57633, Oct. 6, 2003; 70 FR 73165, Dec. 9, 2005]

-p.

[Skywalker]

Shipper's BOL is always on top of all other paperwork.

Your company BOL/ Travel order or whatever you want to call it should be behind all or nowhere in sight for that matter. They are for your use and the company.... no one else.

The MSDS should be behind the shipper's BOL.

Your ERG should be with the Shipper's BOL, and when you are driving, the documents are to be within easy reach. When you are out of the truck, the documents should be in a pouch on the driver's door, or on the driver's seat.

[Rocketdog]

It truly doesn't matter if the MDSD is on top or the BOL....as long as you can get to BOTH in case of emergency/inspection.

I was pulled in for a level one (I haul an 8,000 gallon LPG tanker) in Grapevine, CA scale house and the inspector never looked at either the BOL OR MSDS sheets for my load.

As long as you can quickly identify the contents of your tank and it MATCHES your BOL you probably won't have a problem.

Hope this helps....

[mike3fan]

Originally Posted by Rocketdog

It truly doesn't matter if the MDSD is on top or the BOL....as long as you can get to BOTH in case of emergency/inspection.

(1) Clearly distinguish the shipping paper, if it is carried with other shipping papers or other papers of any kind, by either distinctively tabbing it or by having it appear first

Not saying that you have not had problems doing it your way,but saying it doesn't matter is false.

[rcso]

Wait a second, we as drivers are supposed to retain copies of the BOL's when hauling hazmat? We give all copies back to our companies.

[chapchap70]

Wait a second, we as drivers are supposed to retain copies of the BOL's when hauling hazmat? We give all copies back to our companies.

Not necessarily. You need to satisfy the shipping paper requirements of whatever you are hauling. That could be BOL, MSDS, or a document containing the proper shipping name and identification number. The shipping paper as required must remain in the vehicle as long as the hazardous material is in the truck.

[mike3fan]

Originally Posted by chapchap70

as long as the hazardous material is in the truck.

Or preferably in the trailer. 8)

[Skywalker]

Originally Posted by rcso

Wait a second, we as drivers are supposed to retain copies of the BOL's when hauling hazmat? We give all copies back to our companies.

If you are hauling a box/reefer/container....and it has been unloaded, the placards come off immediately afterwards. You can also send your paperwork to your company immediately after being unloaded.

HOWEVER: If you have had a leak or contamination issues with the box/reefer/container, and said trailer will require a "washout" or decontamination..... LEAVE THE PLACARDS ON, AND KEEP THE BOL IN YOUR POSSESSION UNTIL THE TRAILER HAS BEEN WASHED OUT OR DECONTAMINATED!!

If it is a placarded "tanker"....and it has been unloaded, the placards stay on, and you keep the paperwork until you either have the tank washed out or drop it at a tankwash or your designated yard. The tank, even though unloaded, still has residue of the product in it, and is still considered "hazardous".