Are there limits on how much SH we can haul?

He was asking about SH. I didn't think water had anything to do with restrictions.
I've been told several times it's goes by weight not gallons. Reason for that is because different chemicals weigh different amounts.
I believe it's a federal law.
 
He was asking about SH. I didn't think water had anything to do with restrictions.
I've been told several times it's goes by weight not gallons. Reason for that is because different chemicals weigh different amounts.
I believe it's a federal law.
That's my understanding too Chad at least that's what the good folks @ Brenntag told me. 1000 lbs is your limit and at 10.41 lbs per gallon you can carry up to 98.61 gals.
 
That's my understanding too Chad at least that's what the good folks @ Brenntag told me. 1000 lbs is your limit and at 10.41 lbs per gallon you can carry up to 98.61 gals.

Does this mean SH is heavier than water (8.34 lbs per gallon)?
 
119 gallons.. Thats total.. So if you have a 200 gallon water tank and a 5 gallon sh tank, thats a ticket.. If you have a 119 gallon tank and a 5 gallon sh tank, thats a ticket.. 119 gallons is total capacity on your truck/trailer..

Ksroofs,

I think you are incorrect. I believe you are confusing total weight which will require commercial license if heavy enough, and allowable SH without a hazmat endorsement. My understanding is this....

I believe the limit is 1000 lbs which is approximately 119 gallons oh SH. You can only have up to 119 gallons by volume of containers with SH before getting a hazmat endorsement. If you have a 50 gallon house wash mix tank and a 100 gallon roof tank mix, you would be over the 1000 lbs regardless of whether or not each of those tanks are full or are currently holding just one gallon each. The separate water tank that you mentioned does not matter for allowable hazardous material.

Another example is two contractors even if both only had one gallon of SH whether pure or mixed for cleaning in their tanks

One with an 120 gallon mix tank (in violation)
Another with only 119 gallon mix tank (not in violation)

Of course, if you are under the legal limit with SH (say for instance, 35 gallon tank filled with 35 gallons of SH) but you have a 3000 gallon water tank (approximately 25000 lbs of water) along with everything else you will be overweight and you will need a commercial license.

If I am wrong, anybody feel free to correct me because I would like to know.
 
that would be my thinking also, and would make much more sense!
Ksroofs,

I think you are incorrect. I believe you are confusing total weight which will require commercial license if heavy enough, and allowable SH without a hazmat endorsement. My understanding is this....

I believe the limit is 1000 lbs which is approximately 119 gallons oh SH. You can only have up to 119 gallons by volume of containers with SH before getting a hazmat endorsement. If you have a 50 gallon house wash mix tank and a 100 gallon roof tank mix, you would be over the 1000 lbs regardless of whether or not each of those tanks are full or are currently holding just one gallon each. The separate water tank that you mentioned does not matter for allowable hazardous material.

Another example is two contractors even if both only had one gallon of SH whether pure or mixed for cleaning in their tanks

One with an 120 gallon mix tank (in violation)
Another with only 119 gallon mix tank (not in violation)

Of course, if you are under the legal limit with SH (say for instance, 35 gallon tank filled with 35 gallons of SH) but you have a 3000 gallon water tank (approximately 25000 lbs of water) along with everything else you will be overweight and you will need a commercial license.

If I am wrong, anybody feel free to correct me because I would like to know.
 
If you look at some of the placards out there, they will have the weight amount listed on some of them, depending on the brand of placard.

The SH (Sodium Hypochlorite) is a package group 8 Corrosive which Caustic (Sodium Hydroxide) and Acids also fall into and the weight limit on those is 1000 pounds per vehicle, higher than that amount of weight like 1001 pounds would require you to get the CDL with a hazmat endorsement to haul it. Most places will not let you take more than 1000 pounds of corrosives in a vehicle unless you show them your CDL with Hazmat endorsement as they could be liable in an accident for letting you leave with that amount of product and being illegal in many different ways.

A lot of people are saying that the limit is 119 gallons but that is probably an estimate based on the weight and easy to remember or a local regulation in a certain city or state, the Federal D.O.T. regulation is 1000 pounds without needing placards. Locally can go above and beyond the federal regulations and be more strict but the federal regulations are nationwide.
 
How do they enforce this? Don't they have to end up trusting the markings on the side of the tanks anyway, so why not just use gallons instead of pounds?
 
How do they enforce this? Don't they have to end up trusting the markings on the side of the tanks anyway, so why not just use gallons instead of pounds?

That is the sticking point. I was told by a DOT officer that they cant test what is in your tanks unless there is a spill or accident. He said you can basically lie and say its not SH and he could do nothing. HOWEVER if they later find you were lying they will land on you with both feet and likely send you to jail for a few days to think about it. OH and take away your drivers license or CDL.

This isnt the law just one DOT officers answer.

AC
 
That is the sticking point. I was told by a DOT officer that they cant test what is in your tanks unless there is a spill or accident. He said you can basically lie and say its not SH and he could do nothing. HOWEVER if they later find you were lying they will land on you with both feet and likely send you to jail for a few days to think about it. OH and take away your drivers license or CDL.

This isnt the law just one DOT officers answer.

AC

Hey AC, seems like that DOT officer would be falling down on the job if he can't tell it's bleach,..probably the most recognizable smell when it comes to chemicals. I figured it would be their job to prevent a potential hazardous spill,..being proactive instead of reactive. So, according to this particular DOT officer,..if you were stopped in a DOT check point, you could be carrying as much as you wanted and lie about what you were hauling?? Seems to me DOT would have more reach than that.

Jeff
 
Hey AC, seems like that DOT officer would be falling down on the job if he can't tell it's bleach,..probably the most recognizable smell when it comes to chemicals. I figured it would be their job to prevent a potential hazardous spill,..being proactive instead of reactive. So, according to this particular DOT officer,..if you were stopped in a DOT check point, you could be carrying as much as you wanted and lie about what you were hauling?? Seems to me DOT would have more reach than that.

Jeff

I know ridiculous. I was shocked. But that is government, reactive and not proactive on many fronts.

AC
 
There are not many official "check points", most of the time it is random inspections where they pull you over like they do to the tractor trailers on roads everywhere.

Like when they inspect the tractor trailers, They will pull you over, ask for your paperwork (msds and shipping papers, bill of ladings or manifests that have to be within arm's reach or that right there is a ticket) and then start looking at your vehicle and if your vehicle looks suspicious or you act suspicious they will call for backup with a drug sniffing dog.

They will inspect just about every inch of your trailer and truck and sometimes give you warnings on things but most of the time you will get a ticket for something (they are very thorough) and ask where you are going and coming from and other questions and sometimes repeat certain questions to make sure your statements match up.

I got pulled over for a random inspection several years ago and my trailer did not have the 3 little red lights in the middle of the trailer which are supposed to be there and got warnings on other things that are supposed to be there but this is the way my trailer was made new back in 2004 and I explained that to the State Trooper so he gave me a warning on everything but the three little red lights that go in the middle of the trailer.

He asked me about the large tank (325 gallon water tank), the containers of soap and degreaser and other machines on the trailer (pressure washers and surface cleaners and guns/wands) and I showed him my msds that I keep in my binder. There is a large fine if you don't have the msds within arm's reach.


I had to get the things fixed and get a state inspection on the trailer and then take the inspection report and a check or cash to the location where I got the ticket and pay the fine. The fine was like $35.00 but it took an hour to get there (I was working out of town a lot back then) and I could not mail the papers in so I had to drive there. On the first trip the office was closed for some odd reason so I had to go back there another day, took more in fuel than what the ticket cost.

I know a lot of guys carry around large quantities of the SH and don't travel on the highway too much but if you do, know that the tickets are large if you are hauling more than 1000 pounds or more than 119 gallons of SH but the State Troopers and D.O.T. officers can fine you on most roads, not just the highways.

Be safe and careful out there.
 
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Jeff
I just went through this last week and I got 2 different answers from NH DOT and Massachusetts DOT. So I actually drove my van to the 2 different weight stations, empty of course. NH Dot says water is not a factor but they count anything that has a MSDS sheet,(SH,Soap,Surfactant, and Gas) all counts towards 1,000lbs or under 119 gallons. Massachusetts also does not count water but will enforce the 1000lbs will not enforce the 119gallons. Both weight stations had state troops that were there and they were great' both did a complimentary inspection of my van and found nothing wrong. I did get suggestion to add the hazmat, but was also told buy one of the troopers that I'm not required to even stop at any weigh stations becausemy GVWS are below the 10,000lbs DOT. They both said to stop anyways and 99% of the they will wave me through. IMG_20130111_193505.jpg
 
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