Welp, it’s supposed to be that time of year when high school and college basketball teams start playing each other in single-elimination tournaments, and people everywhere had planned to put up brackets on cubicle walls. Unfortunately, Covid-19 virus concerns have caused the cancellation of many large gatherings and sports tournaments as folks here in the U.S. and around the globe seek to prevent its further spread.

But some games can go on…like Spring Psychosis!

Maybe you are not a basketball fan. No problem! This is a hazmat transport blog, not a sports journal. Our Spring Psychosis* brackets pit hazmat labels, marks and placards against each other head-to-head until a single winner is left standing.

(*It’s a trademark violation to use the name of this month with the word “madness,” and we have no interest in tangling with NCAA lawyers!)

The communications resource with the strongest combination of style, impact and utility will be the 2020 Dangerous Goods tournament champion!

Round 1:

#4 Universal Waste Category label vs. #5 Class 2 Flammable Gas placard

It’s been a big year for the new Universal Waste label, what with aerosol cans being added to the list in February. But let’s face it—it’s a visual dud that’s no match for the bold, red placard seen on semi-trailers from coast to coast. The Class 2 Flammable Gas placard wins.

#3 Limited Quantity mark vs. #6 Cargo Aircraft Only label

Compliant Limited Quantity shipments save hazmat shippers millions of dollars every year, and its design is a minimalist classic. But the Cargo Aircraft Only label wins this one in an upset, driven by its inclusion in 2019’s new PHMSA harmonization with international lithium battery air shipping regulations.

#2 Dangerous placard vs. #7 Spontaneously Combustible label

The Dangerous placard is like the Duke of Dangerous Goods communications—its versatility and power mean it will always be a contender. The striking Class 4 Spontaneously Combustible label gets a lot of attention, but it just doesn’t have the numbers to compete with the Dangerous placard.

#1 Class 9 Lithium Battery label vs. #8 Organic Peroxide label

Once in a while a bottom seed beats a top seed. This isn’t one of those times. The Organic Peroxide label has a flashy design (Boom! See what we did there?), but it’s no competition for the defending champion Class 9 Lithium Battery label, which—by virtue of being required on millions of lithium battery device shipments—wins in a rout.

Round 2:

#1 Class 9 Lithium Battery label vs. #5 Class 2 Flammable Gas placard

Even if your design doesn’t win it many fans, there’s always strength in numbers. As popular as the Class 2 Flammable Gas placard may be, the incredible growth of ecommerce—much of it built on lithium battery devices—propels the Class 9 Lithium Battery label to victory.

#2 Dangerous placard vs. #6 Cargo Aircraft Only label

Cinderella alert! The Dangerous placard is the blue-chip former champion, but the Cargo Aircraft Only label shocks the world. Its radical monochrome design and ultra-weird voice bubble come straight from the comic books, but no one’s laughing now.

Championship match

#1 Class 9 Lithium Battery label vs. #6 Cargo Aircraft Only label

Like a classic matchup between teams from the same conference, our championship match pits two labels that often appear on the same shipments. While the Cargo Aircraft Only label is a fan favorite, in the end the Class 9 Lithium Battery label pulls away and wins the championship again.

We hope that you find ways to relax and enjoy all that you have in your lives this spring. One day the games will resume and life will go back to normal. Stay safe and make sure to keep all your Dangerous Goods shipments safe and compliant with resources from Labelmaster!

Make sure your shipments are safe and in complete compliance with a full line of solutions from Labelmaster—a full-service provider of goods and services for hazardous materials and Dangerous Goods professionals, shippers, transport operators and EH&S providers.