What 178.340-10 means in plain language
FMCSR 178.340-10 addresses specific requirements for the handling, packaging, and documentation of hazardous materials during transport. This regulation falls under the broader hazardous materials category and focuses on ensuring that hazmat shipments meet packaging standards and are properly prepared before they enter the distribution chain.
If you've been cited for 178.340-10, an inspector found evidence that your load, vehicle, or documentation did not meet the packaging or preparation requirements for the hazardous materials you were transporting. This might involve improper containment, failure to use approved packaging, or inadequate segregation of incompatible materials.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ roadside inspection records, 178.340-10 has generated only 6 all-time citations, with zero citations in the last 12 months and zero in the last 90 days. This code ranks #2357 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume.
None of the 6 citations resulted in an out-of-service placement. This 0.0% out-of-service rate is significantly lower than the all-FMCSR average of 31.4%, meaning inspectors have not viewed violations of this code as immediate safety threats requiring vehicle removal from service.
The rarity of citations and the absence of OOS placements suggest that either compliance with this particular standard is relatively widespread, or enforcement focus has centered on related hazmat codes with higher citation frequency.
Who gets cited most
Our inspection records do not identify a clear geographic concentration for 178.340-10 citations. The violation is too infrequent to map meaningful state-level patterns.
Among carriers, our data shows operations such as Karen Yisell Paz Salinas (USDOT 3536809) with 2 citations—the highest count in our database. Other carriers including Southern Oil Transport LLC, Neil Bradshaw, Diesel Dogs Fuel Service Inc, and Jet Energy Inc each appear with single citations. The prevalence across small and medium operations, combined with the absence of repeat patterns, suggests this is not a systematic compliance problem within any particular fleet segment.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Hazmat packaging and handling violations span a spectrum of severity in our enforcement data. General loading and unloading hazmat violations (177.834A-HMC) appear 3,954 times with a 99.2% out-of-service rate—the most aggressively enforced hazmat codes in our database. Similarly, 177.834(a) shows 3,839 citations and a 97.9% OOS rate.
By contrast, placard-specific violations vary widely. Placarding violations under 177.817(a) account for 2,274 citations with a 75.1% OOS rate, while damaged or deteriorated placards (177.817(e)) have 2,038 citations but only a 5.2% OOS rate. This reflects the difference between procedural hazmat errors and those affecting vehicle safety.
178.340-10's 0.0% OOS rate aligns more closely with maintenance and documentation codes like 172.602(c)(1)—Emergency Response information accessibility—which also shows 0.0% OOS enforcement despite 1,464 citations.
How to avoid it
Because 178.340-10 citations are rare and typically not out-of-service-level violations, they usually reflect documentation gaps or minor packaging anomalies rather than catastrophic hazmat safety failures. To avoid citation:
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Verify approved packaging before loading. Confirm with your dispatcher or shipper that all hazmat containers meet DOT packaging specifications for the specific material class. Do not assume a sealed drum or tank is compliant—check paperwork.
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Inspect placards and labeling during pre-trip. Walk around your vehicle and verify that all hazmat placards are present, legible, and affixed to all four sides where required. Faded or missing placards often lead inspectors to scrutinize packaging integrity.
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Cross-check shipping papers with your load. Your hazmat shipping papers must accurately describe the materials, quantity, proper shipping name, and hazard class. Discrepancies between papers and the actual load are common triggers for inspector examination of packaging compliance.
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Segregate incompatible materials physically. If your load contains multiple hazmat commodities, confirm they are stored or packaged separately according to segregation tables in the regulations. Improper commingling invites closer inspection of individual package integrity.
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Document any visible damage before accepting the load. If a hazmat container shows cracks, leaks, or corrosion, refuse the load or document the damage and report it immediately. An inspector will cite packaging violations if you transport a visibly compromised package.
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Request updated training on hazmat packaging if you regularly haul these loads. The specifics of approved packaging—closure types, inner packaging, absorbent materials—vary by hazard class. Annual or per-shipment review reduces compliance gaps.