Dangerous ADR materials are in other words such materials whose action can be harmful to human health or adversely affect the natural environment. These are also specialized goods whose transport is regulated exclusively by the European ADR Agreement.
What are ADR dangerous materials?
It is also a special system determining legal rules for transport of this type of goods in the logistics industry. This system regulates rules of ADR goods transport in Poland and in other countries. Detailed rules of transport and logistics of ADR materials are specified by the convention which was created on September 30, 1957 in Geneva.
ADR dangerous materials are also under supervision of a permanent ADR advisor, who since 2013 cooperates with all companies specializing in professional transport of goods. Whereas transport of this type of materials and substances is allowed, but only when the driver completed 21 years of age, underwent specialized training on ADR materials and passed the exam examined by law on transport of this type of materials.
How are dangerous ADR materials classified?
Classification of dangerous materials which are marked as ADR goods is divided according to 13 basic classes. Do you want to know how this type of materials is classified? Check in our article concerning transport and storage of ADR goods.
The ADR Agreement consists of an official document and several annexes: A, B. The official document specifies parties to the agreement, and annex A regulates rules of agreement on transport of ADR materials regulating detailed rules of transport of this type of materials. Whereas annex B to the agreement specifies detailed regulations concerning transport of ADR materials, selection of means of transport and
- Class 1 concerns all materials of explosive, flammable character e.g. in liquid, solid or complex state – mixtures of various materials). To the same category belong all pyrotechnic materials which create risk of fire or small threat of explosion.
- Class 2 are toxic gases which can be dangerous for the human respiratory system
- Class 3 are liquid toxic and flammable substances which can enter into strong chemical reactions when connected with other toxic materials
- Class 4.1 are solid materials which due to their specifics are also flammable, chemically active and are also explosive materials
- Class 4.2 are spontaneously combustible materials
- Class 4.3 includes materials which after reaction with water transform into flammable gases
- Class 5.1 materials of oxidizing character
- Class 5.2 is a group of products which include organic peroxides
- Class 6.1 are all materials of toxic character
- Class 6.2 materials which have infectious character
- Class 7 are all materials of radioactive character
- Class 8 concerns all corrosive materials
- Class 9 various dangerous materials and objects
ADR markings, i.e. dangerous goods – what do abbreviations on labels of dangerous products mean?
Are you wondering what abbreviations on labels of dangerous products mean and how to read this type of markings? What are the groups of dangerous materials and what do individual letter symbols mean? Below we present a list of markings, thanks to which you will easily recognize what load you are dealing with at work.
A – are asphyxiant materials which are dangerous for the human respiratory system
C – is a group of corrosive materials
D – are so-called “desensitized” explosive materials
F – this group concerns all substances of flammable character
I – are all kinds of products of infectious character
M – in this group are various dangerous materials
O – to this group belong oxidizing substances
P – what is in this category? These are mainly toxic organic peroxides
PM – are all kinds of polymerizing materials
S – are substances of spontaneously combustible character
SR – is a symbol determining self-reactive substances which need little to enter into reaction
T – determines toxic substances
W – are substances which strongly react with water and are dangerous for humans
Some dangerous goods have special packing groups, which is worth remembering to increase safety.
Group I – in the first packing group are goods which cause the highest degree of danger.
Group II – the second group concerns products which create a medium state of threat.
Group III – the third group are dangerous products which cause the least threat.
Classification codes of dangerous materials – what is worth knowing about them?
Dangerous ADR products must be marked in a proper way to inform others about threats and category to which they are assigned. ADR labels on this type of parcels usually have the shape of a square and have an assigned category or subcategory to which they belong. Classification codes are usually a combination of digits and letters, and naming is inspired by names of threats from English language.
It is also worth bearing in mind that ADR materials have appropriate subclasses. Subclass 1:1 determines materials which are most dangerous. Subclasses 1.5, 1.2, 1.3 and 1.6 as well as 1.4 are subsequent types of subclasses which define dangerous materials, of which the last one is the least dangerous subclass. Class 1 concerns goods with UN number which includes all units below value 1000. With this type of products one should also remember that they have so-called compatibility groups which facilitate appropriate cataloging of products and proper securing them before transport. Such groups also allow safely storing goods. Dangerous ADR materials are usually transported in tankers, in bulk or by piece in original packages provided with an appropriate label. In tankers ADR materials from groups 1-9 can be transported. Products then also have alphanumeric codes which inform the driver about the degree of threat and facilitate cataloging.
Labels of dangerous ADR products – what do they mean, how to read them?
Are you wondering how to exactly read labels of dangerous materials? First of all it is worth remembering that every dangerous product covered by ADR agreement must be marked, i.e. must have an appropriate label. This label informs the driver about what product creates a threat.
For this purpose in transport of this type of products classification codes are used which serve for labeling dangerous AD goods and appropriate classification of this type of products. Whereas during transport of dangerous products often UN code, packing group, shipping name of a given product, label number, identification number are used.
Transport of ADR materials – what else is worth remembering?
Responsible for proper classification of dangerous materials is the manufacturer of a given good or sender of the parcel. In some cases responsibility in this scope rests on the shoulders of ADR materials advisor.