An Introduction to the Carriage of Dangerous Goods.

The Regulations surrounding the Carriage of Dangerous Goods are complex but essentially logical. 

It is first necessary to identify which, if any, regulations apply.

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 lists many disapplications and exemptions from the regulations.  Perhaps the biggest is that they only apply to vehicles carrying dangerous goods in the course of work. 

It is then necessary to consider:

  • What is being carried.
  • How it is being carried.
  • How much is being carried.
  • Where it is going.

Substances Carried. 

The United Nations maintains a list of all dangerous substances that are likely to be transported. Each substance is allocated a United Nations Substance Identification Number (U.N. S.I.N.), which is most commonly referred to as the UN number. 

Hazardous substances are broken down in to nine individual categories (toxics, radioactives, flammables, explosives etc.) 

Substances that are not on the list are not considered to be hazardous enough to fall within the scope of the regulations. 

Within the United Kingdom, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the lead authority on the carriage of dangerous goods. The HSE publishes the "Approved Carriage List" which officially classifies all dangerous goods.

Method of Carriage.

 Hazardous substances may be carried by road, rail or sea. They are seldom carried by air for obvious reasons. 

Substances carried by road may be carried in the following ways:

  • In tank containers (demountable tanks, or 'demounts').
  • In conventional tankers (Road Tankers).
  • In tanks (defined as tanks which are not fixed to or part of a vehicle).
  • In bulk (bulk is defined as 'solids without packaging').
  • In packages, drums, bags, gas cylinders etc. (known as 'Packaged Goods').

 Within the United Kingdom, Hazardous Goods carried by road are covered by the The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004 (CDG etc. 2004) which replaced the Carriage of Dangerous Goods By Road Regulations 1996 on 10th May 2004.

 Destination of Goods.

If the goods are despatched within the United Kingdom, and destined for a location within the United Kingdom, the only applicable legislation is the The Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004.

If the goods are to be shipped to another EC country, international regulations may apply. These regulations are known by their French name, Accord Europeen Relatif au Transport International des Marchandises Dangereuses par Route,  usually referred to as 'ADR'. 

If the journey involves deep sea transport, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG) may apply.  

Dangerous goods on such international journeys are exempt from CDG etc.regulations, only if they fully comply with ADR or IMDG. ADR and IMDG are not alternatives to UK (CDG etc.) regulations. Full compliance with ADR or IMDG provides an exemption from CDG etc., but only if the goods are on a journey to which ADR or IMDG is applicable. If ADR or IMDG is not fully complied with, or if the journey is wholly within the UK, CDG etc. applies. It is always breaches of the CDG etc. regulations that are prosecuted. Within the United Kingdom, regardless of the intended destination, if a hazardous load complies with CDG etc, no offences are committed. 

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail Regulations 1996  have also been harmonised with European legislation (RID) by the The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2004.

Size of Load.

If the dangerous goods are carried in packages, and the size of the load and size of individual packages are below specified thresholds, the regulations do not apply. Click here for a detailed explanation of the packaged goods thresholds. 

The provisions of CDG etc. apply to all Road Tankers, Tanks and Tank Containers regardless of size. If a Tank is over three cubic metres in size (equivalent to 3,000 litres),or if it has been fixed to a vehicle, then the tank and vehicle are treated as a single entity as if it was a Road Tanker.

Carriage of Dangerous Goods etc. (CDG etc) Regs 2004

 

Packaged Goods Thresholds

Accord Dangereuse Routiers (ADR)

 

Requirements for Driver Training

International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG)

 

HMSO Legislation Database

Miscellaneous Legislation