What 172.310(b) means in plain language
172.310(b) is a hazardous materials regulation that focuses on specific requirements for how certain hazmat shipments must be prepared, documented, or handled during transport. The regulation sets conditions on the packaging, labeling, or classification of dangerous goods to ensure they meet federal safety standards before the vehicle leaves the shipper's facility.
If you were cited for this code at roadside, an inspector determined that something about how your hazmat cargo was prepared or presented did not align with these federal requirements. This could involve the condition of packaging, the accuracy of shipping papers, or the way materials were classified before they entered your truck.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ roadside inspection records, 172.310(b) has generated only 3 all-time citations in our database. In the last 12 months, we recorded 0 citations, and in the last 90 days, 0 citations. This makes 172.310(b) the #2551-ranked FMCSR code by citation volume out of 3,036 codes we track.
None of the 3 all-time citations resulted in an out-of-service order. The OOS rate for this code is 0.0%, which is substantially lower than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. This suggests that when inspectors cite 172.310(b), they typically view the violation as correctable without immediately removing the vehicle from service—though the violation still needs to be addressed.
The rarity of this citation means it is not a common enforcement focus at the roadside. If you received one, it indicates an inspector identified a specific compliance gap in how your shipment or paperwork was prepared.
Who gets cited most
Our enforcement data shows only three carriers with citations for this code in our all-time records: Terracon Consultants Inc (USDOT 177323) with 1 citation, Nextier Completion Solutions Inc (USDOT 1617384) with 1 citation, and Step Energy Services USA Ltd (USDOT 2640421) with 1 citation. Given the extremely low citation volume, no state has emerged as a hotspot for this violation.
Vehicle makes cited include Ford, Kenworth, and other manufacturers, each appearing once in our records. The distribution is too sparse to identify a particular vehicle type as higher-risk for this violation.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Other hazmat-related codes in the same category show dramatically different enforcement patterns. For example, 177.834A (general loading/unloading hazmat violations) has 3,954 citations with a 99.2% OOS rate, and 177.834(a) has 3,839 citations with a 97.9% OOS rate. Both of these are far more heavily enforced and almost always result in immediate out-of-service orders.
By comparison, 172.502(a)(1) (placarding general requirements) has 1,820 citations with an 18.5% OOS rate, and 172.516(c)(6) (placard damaged, deteriorated, or obscured) has 1,796 citations with a 1.6% OOS rate. Even these related codes are cited 600+ times more frequently than 172.310(b).
The low citation count and zero OOS rate for 172.310(b) indicate this is either a violation that inspectors rarely encounter or one that is caught and corrected at the shipper's facility before the vehicle is presented for inspection.
How to avoid it
Since 172.310(b) concerns how hazmat is prepared and documented before entering your truck, your primary defense is verification during pickup:
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Inspect the shipping papers before loading. Verify that the hazard class, proper shipping name, UN number, and packing group all match the physical cargo and are correctly formatted according to DOT rules. Do not accept shipments with incomplete or contradictory paperwork.
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Verify packaging condition and labeling. Before you load, confirm that all packages are properly sealed, labeled, and marked with required hazard labels and placards. Look for any signs of leakage, damage, or missing labels that would indicate improper preparation at the shipper's end.
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Confirm classification accuracy. Ask the shipper to confirm that the material has been classified correctly. Misclassification at the shipping stage is a direct violation of 172.310(b) and becomes your liability once you accept the load.
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Request shipper certifications. If your carrier does not already have them, ask shippers to confirm that materials have been offered for transportation in full compliance with DOT regulations. This creates a documented trail and may protect you if an error originated on their side.
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Know your carrier's hazmat policies. Work with your fleet safety manager to understand how your company verifies shipper compliance before loads are tendered. If processes are unclear or inconsistent, flag this to management.
Because this citation is so rare and never results in immediate OOS orders, focus on partnering with your shipper and your carrier's hazmat team to catch preparation errors before they become roadside violations.