Dangerous Goods by Road
For MEMUs carrying packages containing substances or articles of Class 1 (other than of Division
1.4, Compatibility group S), placards shall be affixed to both sides and at the rear of the MEMU.
Special compartments for explosives shall be placarded in accordance with the provisions of 5.3.1.1.2.
The last sentence of 5.3.1.1.2 does not apply.
Placarding of vehicles carrying packages only
NOTE: This sub-section applies also to vehicles carrying swap bodies loaded with packages, except
for combined road/rail transport; for combined road/rail transport, see 5.3.1.2 and 5.3.1.3.
For vehicles carrying packages containing substances or articles of Class 1 (other than of Division 1.4,
compatibility group S), placards shall be affixed to both sides and at the rear of the vehicle.
For vehicles carrying radioactive material of Class 7 in packagings or IBCs (other than excepted
packages), placards shall be affixed to both sides and at the rear of the vehicle.
Placarding of empty tank-vehicles, battery-vehicles, MEGCs, MEMUs, tank-containers, portable tanks and empty vehicles and containers for carriage in bulk
Empty tank-vehicles, vehicles with demountable tanks, battery-vehicles, MEGCs,
MEMUs, tank-containers and portable tanks uncleaned and not degassed, and empty vehicles and
containers for carriage in bulk, uncleaned, shall continue to display the placards required for the
previous load.
Specifications for placards
Except as provided in 5.3.1.7.2 for the Class 7 placard, and in 5.3.6.2 for the environmentally
hazardous substance mark, a placard shall be configured as shown in Figure 5.3.1.7.1.
Placard (except for Class 7)
The placard shall be in the form of a square set at an angle of 45° (diamond-shaped). The minimum
dimensions shall be 250 mm x 250 mm (to the edge of the placard). The line inside the edge shall be
parallel and 12.5 mm from the outside of that line to the edge of the placard. The symbol and line
inside the edge shall correspond in colour to the label for the class or division of the dangerous goods
in question. The class or division symbol/numeral shall be positioned and sized in proportion to those
prescribed in 5.2.2.2 for the corresponding class or division of the dangerous goods in question. The
placard shall display the number of the class or division (and for goods in Class 1, the compatibility
group letter) of the dangerous goods in question in the manner prescribed in 5.2.2.2 for the
corresponding label, in digits not less than 25 mm high. Where dimensions are not specified, all
features shall be in approximate proportion to those shown.
The Class 7 placard shall be not less than 250 mm by 250 mm with a black line running 5 mm inside
the edge and parallel with it and is otherwise as shown below (Model No. 7D). The number "7" shall
not be less than 25 mm high. The background colour of the upper half of the placard shall be yellow
and of the lower half white, the colour of the trefoil and the printing shall be black. The use of the
word "RADIOACTIVE" in the bottom half is optional to allow the use of this placard to display the
appropriate UN number for the consignment.
For tanks with a capacity of not more than 3 m3 and for small containers, placards may be replaced by
labels conforming to 5.2.2.2. If these labels are not visible from outside the carrying vehicle, placards
according to 5.3.1.7.1 shall also be affixed to both sides and at the rear of the vehicle.
For Classes 1 and 7, if the size and construction of the vehicle are such that the available surface area
is insufficient to affix the prescribed placards, their dimensions may be reduced to 100 mm on each
side.
Orange-coloured plate marking
General orange-coloured plate marking provisions
Transport units carrying dangerous goods shall display two rectangular orange-coloured plates
conforming to 5.3.2.2.1, set in a vertical plane. They shall be affixed one at the front and the other at
the rear of the transport unit, both perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the transport unit. They
shall be clearly visible.
If a trailer containing dangerous goods is detached from its motor vehicle during carriage of
dangerous goods, an orange-coloured plate shall remain affixed to the rear of the trailer. When tanks
are marked in accordance with 5.3.2.1.3, this plate shall correspond to the most hazardous substance
carried in the tank.
When a hazard identification number is indicated in Column (20) of table A of Chapter 3.2, tankvehicles,
battery vehicles or transport units having one or more tanks carrying dangerous goods shall
in addition display on the sides of each tank, each tank compartment or each element of battery
vehicles, clearly visible and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, orange-coloured plates
identical with those prescribed in 5.3.2.1.1. These orange-coloured plates shall bear the hazard
identification number and the UN number prescribed respectively in Columns (20) and (1) of table A
of Chapter 3.2 for each of the substances carried in the tank, in a compartment of the tank or in an
element of a battery vehicle. For MEMUs these requirements shall only apply to tanks with a capacity
of 1 000 litres or more and bulk containers.