ADR dangerous goods transport: the basics

ADR is the European agreement governing international carriage of dangerous goods by road; Turkey is a party. The rule starts with one question: is the substance dangerous, and in which class? The answer decides the paperwork, packaging, vehicle and driver.

The nine hazard classes

1. Explosive substances and articles
2. Gases (flammable, non-flammable, toxic)
3. Flammable liquids
4. Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and those that give off gas in contact with water
5. Oxidising substances and organic peroxides
6. Toxic and infectious substances
7. Radioactive material
8. Corrosive substances
9. Miscellaneous dangerous substances

Each substance is identified by a four-digit UN number. Depending on the class there may also be a packing group and a tunnel restriction code. This information is in the document the consignor prepares.

Driver and certificate

For most ADR transports the driver must hold an ADR training certificate. It shows which kind of transport (packages, tanks, certain classes) the driver is approved for and is renewed at set intervals. Check the current rule for the renewal period. The driver must also carry written instructions for the substance being transported.

Vehicle and equipment

• Orange plates: orange reflective plates are fixed at the front and rear of the vehicle. For some transports the plates carry the hazard and UN numbers.
• Hazard labels: diamond-shaped labels showing the class appear on the packages and, where required, on the vehicle.
• Safety equipment: fire extinguishers, wheel chocks, warning signs, a high-visibility vest, a torch, eye rinsing liquid and protective gloves and goggles. The equipment required depends on the substance.
• Vehicle type: some loads need a specially approved vehicle (tank, EX/II, EX/III and so on).

This list is a summary; the full equipment and rules are in the ADR text in force, which is updated at intervals.

Exemptions

Some substances carried in limited quantities have partial exemptions. The thresholds depend on the substance and the packaging; do not make your own "small quantity" decision, check the consignor's document and the current text.

How to state ADR in a listing

A carrier cannot quote an ADR load without seeing it. Put these in the listing:

1. Say it is ADR, plainly: "the load is subject to ADR".
2. Class and UN number (and packing group if any).
3. Quantity and packaging type: tank, IBC, drum, packages.
4. Special conditions: temperature, tunnel restrictions, loading and unloading instructions.
5. Vehicle needed: tank or curtainsider, and which equipment.

Missing information sends a carrier out with the wrong vehicle and risks a refusal at loading or at the border. Consult your contract and an expert (an ADR adviser).

Checks before dispatch

• The consignor's dangerous goods document must go in the cab with the load.
• The driver's certificate must match the load's class and type of carriage.
• Packaging and labels must be intact and legible; do not load damaged packaging.
• Look at tunnel restrictions on the route; some tunnels are closed to ADR loads.

On Order And Load carriers search loads by vehicle and body type; if you state the ADR details plainly in the listing text, carriers with the right vehicle are the ones who quote. Short definitions of the terms are in the Freight Glossary.