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Documentation Errors Continue to Vex Hazmat

[ July 10, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

A new industry benchmarking study suggests hazardous materials transportation continues to be challenged less by a lack of regulatory knowledge than by routine operational mistakes involving documentation, labeling and packaging.

The Focus on Safety: Benchmarking the State of the Hazmat/Dangerous Goods Industry study, conducted by J.J. Keller & Associates and the Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles (COSTHA), surveyed 253 professionals involved in shipping or transporting hazardous materials during late 2025.

Among respondents reporting compliance issues during the previous 12 months, documentation and shipping paper errors were the most common, cited by 47 percent, followed by marking, labeling and placarding errors at 42 percent, improper packaging at 38 percent, material misclassification at 34 percent and improper load securement at 29 percent. The study concludes these are primarily preventable operational errors rather than failures to understand hazmat regulations.

Keeping pace with changing regulations remains the industry’s leading compliance challenge, identified by 57 percent of respondents, ahead of documentation and paperwork (38 percent), employee training (34 percent), packaging (31 percent) and classification of goods (30 percent).  

The survey also found undeclared hazardous materials remain a persistent concern, particularly in inbound shipments from suppliers and customers. Respondents reported improperly identified or undeclared hazardous materials occur more frequently in inbound freight than in shipments originating from their own organizations, highlighting the need for closer communication throughout the supply chain.

While 72 percent of respondents said they feel fully or well prepared to respond to a hazmat incident, nearly one-third indicated they are only moderately prepared or worse. Training also remains a challenge, with keeping course material current with changing regulations, tracking recurrent training requirements and identifying employees requiring hazmat instruction ranking among the industry’s biggest concerns.

Looking ahead, respondents expect artificial intelligence and automation to play a growing role in hazmat operations, particularly for documentation, compliance verification and shipment identification. However, they also cautioned against overreliance on technology, emphasizing that AI should support, rather than replace, human judgment.

Tags: Council on Safe Transportation of Hazardous Articles, J.J. Keller & Associates