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Dangerous in Transport

Substances and materials which are dangerous for transport range from those which present obvious risks, such as explosives and fuming acids, through to more frequently encountered products such as paints, solvents and pesticides.

The transport of dangerous goods is regulated in order to prevent, as far as possible, accidents involving people or property, damage to the environment, to the means of transport employed or to other goods being transported. Each mode of transport, (air, sea, road, rail and inland waterway) has its own regulations but they are now largely harmonized with the Model Regulations, published by United Nations Economic and Social Council's Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

The UN Model Regulations use a classification system in which each dangerous substance or article is assigned to a CLASS, depending on the nature of the danger it presents. There are 9 Classes, some of which are sub-divided:

Class 1 - Explosives

Class 2 - Gases

Division 2.1 Flammable gas
Division 2.2 Non-flammable non toxic gas
Division 2.3 Toxic gas

Class 3 - Flammable Liquids

Class 4 - Other Flammables

Division 4.1 Flammable solids
Division 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
Division 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases

Class 5 - Oxidising Agents

Division 5.1 Oxidising agents
Division 5.2 Organic peroxides

Class 6 - Toxic

Division 6.1 Toxic substances
Division 6.2 Infectious substances

Class 7 - Radioactives

Class 8 - Corrosives

Class 9 - Miscellaneous



Class 9 includes items such as asbestos, automotive airbags, lithium batteries and environmentally hazardous substances which don't fit into any of the other 8 classes.