HAZMAT Placard Requirements for North American Rail Transport

Hazardous materials shipments transported by rail within North America must display HAZMAT placards on all four sides of the container. Placards must be clearly visible, unobscured, and securely affixed — requirements that apply throughout transport, including when containers are loaded in bottom-well railcars.

To support compliance and minimize the risk of rail holds, Maersk recommends the following placard placement guidelines for intermodal containers:

Side-mounted HAZMAT placards should be positioned:

• At least 0.3 m (1 ft) below the top of the container
• At least 1.5 m (5 ft) above the bottom of the container
• At least 1.5 m (5 ft) from the container end

End-mounted HAZMAT placards should observe the same top and bottom clearance recommendations.

Containers with placards that are not clearly visible when positioned in the bottom well of a railcar, or upon arrival at a rail facility, may be subject to delays, holds, or refusal of rail movement pending correction. Customers are responsible for ensuring placards are correctly applied prior to rail handover.

For further guidance, please contact your Maersk representative.