Safety of transport of dangerous goods

During their life cycle, dangerous goods, such as explosives and chemicals, are transported as raw materials and as finished products many times over by road, rail, sea or air.

When transporting dangerous goods on public roads, please, take account of, for example, the following:

  • The consignor classifies dangerous goods into categories according to how dangerous they are.
  • The consignor packages the materials in accordance with their danger classification.
  • Each undertaking, the activities of which include the carriage of dangerous goods shall appoint a person responsible familiar with the special requirements of the transport of dangerous goods, called a safety adviser.
  • As a rule, drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods must have a supplement to their driving license that authorises them to transport dangerous goods, a so-called ADR certificate.
  • The vehicle must have been inspected and found technically suitable for the carriage of dangerous goods.
  • The vehicles must carry warning signs telling about the contents, such as an orange sign, a warning label and substance-specific warning labels.
  • The transport document of the load must be carried with the transport as well as written safety instructions in compliant with the load.
  • The packaging used must be type approved for transport purposes and they must bear the warning markings required for the identification of dangerous contents.

Transport of dangerous goods in Finland and abroad

The requirements concerning transport of dangerous goods are specific for each mode of transport.

Transport Sea transport Air transport Road transport Rail transport
Global level UN recommendations for transport of dangerous goods
  IMDG ICAO-TI    
European level IMDG ICAO-TI ADR RID
EU level IMDG ICAO-TI Directive on inland transport of dangerous goods
National level IMDG

ICAO-TI

Aviation regulation OPS M1-18

Traficom regulation on road transport Traficom regulation on rail transport