• Emergencies involving hazardous materials require immediate handling.Mark Lewis/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  Hazardous material shippers are federally mandated to supply a bill of lading with all hazardous cargo. If there's an accidental release of hazardous material en route, the transporter must be able to contact the shipping company and expect immediate response regarding damage control and handling. The most important information to facilitate this response is the emergency contact phone number.
  
  

Emergency Telephone Number

• Contact information must include a valid telephone number of a person knowledgeable about the hazardous cargo being shipped. This cannot be a phone number that routes to an answering machine or other callback system. The number must immediately access the contact person.
  
  

Telephone Requirements

• The emergency telephone number must be the emergency response information (ERI) provider. It must be monitored at all times while the hazardous materials are in transit. The ERI provider may be an individual, company or organization with up-to-date information regarding the hazardous materials listed on the bill of lading. Additional contact information must now include the name or contract number of the ERI provider.
  
  

Bill of Lading Placement

• Emergency contact information must be highly visible in order to be quickly found. It must be highlighted if necessary, in all capitals and in a larger font following the hazardous material descriptions. According to section 172.604 (ii) of 49 CFR, "this provision may be used only if the telephone number applies to each hazardous material entered on the shipping paper." It must also be designated on the bill of lading that the telephone number is for emergency response purposes.