Anyone who travels the nation’s highways will see hazardous materials (HazMat) transported in commerce by some form of a motor vehicle.  If in large quantities, like 5,000 gallons or more, the form of transportation will be a large tractor & semi-trailer combination vehicle.  A hazardous material in transportation by motor vehicle is easily identified by the presence of placards on the vehicle (that’s assuming that the type and amount of HazMat mandates placarding and that, if required, the driver has placarded the vehicle properly).  But let’s just assume that the motor vehicle you see transporting HazMat is correctly displaying each of the hazard communication methods required by the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR) of the PHMSA/USDOT; what then?  With the right information, you can detect the presence and decipher the meaning of the hazard communication methods used.  The purpose of this article is to provide that information. (more…)