Dangerous goods and transport of dangerous goods
Dangerous goods are substances and objects which, due to their chemical or physical properties, can cause damage to life, health, the environment or property when transported. Dangerous goods may, for example, have explosive, flammable, toxic, radioactive or corrosive properties. The definition of “transport of dangerous goods” includes transportation by road, rail, water or air. It also includes loading and unloading as well as the storage and handling of dangerous goods in connection with transport.
The Act (2006:263) and Ordinance (2006:311) on the transport of dangerous goods are the framework for constitutional regulation concerning dangerous goods transport.
The Act defines the concepts of transport, transport modes and dangerous goods, as well as protective measures and other precautions to achieve the purpose of the Act. The Act also sets out provisions on safety advisors, criminal liability, injunctions, prohibitions and fines, as well as powers concerning supervision.
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) is responsible for the regulations on dangerous transport by road and rail, while the Swedish Transport Agency is responsible for the corresponding regulations on sea and air transport. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority has supervisory responsibility for the transport of radioactive substances.
The consignor must ensure that the dangerous goods are correctly classified and authorised for transport. A complete classification for the transport of the dangerous goods means that the following information has been established: class, classification code, packing group, UN number, official transport designation, labels and environmental hazard. Dangerous goods are divided into different classes depending on their hazardous properties:
- Class 1 Explosive substances and articles
- Class 1 Explosive substances and articles
- Class 3 Flammable liquids
- Class 4.1 Flammable solids, self-reactive substances, polymerising substances and solid desensitised explosives
- Class 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
- Class 4.3 Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases
- Class 5.1 Oxidising substances
- Class 5.2 Organic peroxides
- Class 6.1 Toxic substances
- Class 6.2 Infectious substances
- Class 7 Radioactive material
- Class 8 Corrosive substances
- Class 9 Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
Activities that hand dangerous goods over for transport, or that transport dangerous goods (including loading and discharge), must have one or more safety advisors. In Sweden there is a requirement to have safety advisors for all transport modes, i.e. road, rail, water and air transport. Activities must notify MSB of the name(s) of the appointed safety advisor(s). The safety advisor must, under the activity management’s responsibility, ensure that the activity complies, inter alia, with the relevant provisions on the transport of dangerous goods, and take the necessary measures to prevent accidents. The safety advisor has a particular responsibility to prepare an annual report describing the activity with regard to the transport of dangerous goods, and for compiling an accident report in the event of an accident or incident.
Local procedures and instructions
At each goods reception there must be written procedures and instructions regarding the reception of dangerous goods. The procedures and instructions must describe, in a simple way, the different tasks to be performed, or which may need to be performed, e.g. in an emergency situation. Examples of such situations include broken packaging, leaking products, or the dropping of a box or other package.
Training
Persons involved in the transport, movement and handling of dangerous goods must be trained in the requirements of their work before carrying out their work duties. All employees handling the goods must understand the local procedures and instructions that apply at Örebro University. All staff involved in these activities must attend ADR 1.3 Training.