Emergency response information and the 24-hour phone number
Two related requirements sit on every hazmat shipping paper. First, 49 CFR 172.602 requires emergency response information — enough for a first responder to handle an incident: immediate hazards, precautions, fire and spill measures, and first aid. The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) guide number per material is the standard way to point to this information, and it can be printed right on the shipping paper.
Second, 172.604 requires a 24-hour emergency response telephone number. It must be monitored at all times the material is in transportation, by someone who either knows the hazards or has immediate access to that knowledge. A number that rings to voicemail does not satisfy the rule. Many shippers use a service such as CHEMTREC and print the registrant's contract number alongside it.
This tool puts both on the document: a dedicated emergency response block with the phone number you enter and the ERG guide number for each material in the shipment, deduplicated and listed together.
Open the generator — free, no upload
Getting the emergency block right
- Enter a 24-hour number that is actually monitored during transport (172.604).
- If you use an emergency response service, include its registrant/contract number.
- Confirm the ERG guide number for each material — this tool fills it from the table.
- Keep the emergency information immediately available, not buried among unrelated paperwork.
Questions
Can I use my own cell number?
Only if it is monitored 24/7 during transportation by a person with knowledge of the hazards or immediate access to it. Most small shippers find a monitored service simpler and more defensible.
Is the ERG guide number enough for 172.602?
The guide number directs responders to the ERG entry, which is an accepted form of emergency response information when the ERG accompanies the shipment or the information is otherwise available. Many shippers also attach the relevant guide pages.
What's CHEMTREC?
CHEMTREC is a widely used 24-hour emergency response call center. Shippers register, get a contract number, and list CHEMTREC's number plus that contract number on the shipping paper.