What document must accompany every hazmat shipment and be readily accessible to authorities during transport?

• A. The shipper's weight ticket
• B. The hazmat shipping paper (or its electronic equivalent)
• C. The driver's license and permit
• D. The bill of lading

Answer: (B)

A hazmat shipping paper must accompany every hazmat shipment and be readily accessible to authorities during transport. This document provides essential details about the dangerous goods—such as the proper shipping name, hazard class, identification number (UN/NA), packing group, quantity, and the shipper/receiver information—along with emergency contact and handling precautions. Having it available allows responders and inspectors to quickly identify the material, understand the hazards, and apply the correct safety measures in any incident or check. Electronic shipping papers are allowed where permitted, as long as the information is accessible to authorities when needed. The other items listed don’t fulfill this requirement: a weight ticket relates to vehicle weight, not hazmat information; a driver’s license and permit are required to operate but don’t convey the shipment’s hazard details; a bill of lading covers general freight but isn’t the hazmat-specific document that must accompany the shipment.