Dangerous goods

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Dangerous goods are substances which pose risk to health, safety, property or the environment during operation and/or transportation. (In the United States, the equivalent term is Hazardous Material.) They are divided into classes on the basis of the specific chemical characteristics producing the risk.

Note: The graphics and text representing the dangerous goods safety marks used on this page are derived from the United Nations-based system of identifying dangerous goods. Not all countries use precisely the same graphics (label, placard and/or text information) in their national regulations. Some use graphic symbols, but without English wording or with similar wording in their national language. Check the Dangerous Goods Transportation Regulations of the country of interest.

For example, see the Dangerous Goods Safety Marks in the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

The statement above applies equally to all the Dangerous Goods classes shown on this page.

Contents 1 Classification and labelling summary tables 1.1 Class 1: Explosives 1.2 Class 2: Gases 1.3 Class 3: Flammable liquids 1.4 Class 4: Flammable solids 1.5 Class 5: Oxidizing Agents & Organic Peroxides 1.6 Class 6: Toxic and Infectious Substances 1.7 Class 7: Radioactive Substances 1.8 Class 8: Corrosive Substances 1.9 Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Substances 2 Other hazardous materials labels (CHIP) 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Classification and labelling summary tables

[edit] Class 1: Explosives

Information on this graphic changes depending on which, "Division" of explosive is shipped.

Explosive Dangerous Goods have compatibility group letters assigned to facilitate segregation during transport. The letters used range from A to S excluding the letters I, M, O, P, Q and R. The example above shows an explosive with a compatibility group "A" (shown as 1.1A). The actual letter shown would depend on the specific properties of the substance being transported.

For example, the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations provides a description of compatibility groups.

• 1.1 Explosives with a mass explosion hazard
  • Ex: TNT, dynamite, nitroglycerine.
• 1.2 Explosives with a severe projection hazard.
• 1.3 Explosives with a fire, blast or projection hazard but not a mass explosion hazard.
• 1.4 Minor fire or projection hazard (includes ammunition and most consumer fireworks).
• 1.5 An insensitive substance with a mass explosion hazard (explosion similar to 1.1)
• 1.6 Extremely insenstive articles.

[edit] Class 2: Gases

Gases which are compressed, liquefied or dissolved under pressure as detailed below. Some gases have subsidiary risk classes; poisonous or corrosive.

• 2.1 Flammable gas
  • Gases which ignite on contact with an ignition source.
    • Ex: acetylene, hydrogen.

• 2.2 Non-Flammable Gases
  • Gases which are neither flammable nor poisonous.
    • Ex: nitrogen, neon.

Includes the cryogenic gases/liquids (temperatures of below -100 °C) used for cryopreservation and rocket fuels.

• 2.3 Poisonous Gases
  • Gases liable to cause death or serious injury to human health if inhaled.
    • Ex: fluorine, chlorine, hydrogen cyanide.

[edit] Class 3: Flammable liquids

Flammable liquids included in Class 3 are included in one of the following packing groups:

• Packing Group I, if they have an initial boiling point of 35°C or less at an absolute pressure of 101.3 kPa and any flash point;
  • Ex: diethyl ether, carbon disulfide.
• Packing Group II, if they have an initial boiling point greater than 35°C at an absolute pressure of 101.3 kPa and a flash point less than 23°C; or
  • Ex: gasoline (petrol), acetone.
• Packing Group III, if the criteria for inclusion in Packing Group I or II are not met.
  • Ex: kerosene, diesel.

Note: For further details, check the Dangerous Goods Transportation Regulations of the country of interest.

[edit] Class 4: Flammable solids

• 4.1 Flammable solids which are easily ignited and readily combustible.
  • Ex: nitrocellulose, magnesium, safety or strike-anywhere matches.

• 4.2 Spontaneously combustible substances.
  • Ex: aluminium alkyls, white phosphorus.

• 4.3 Substances which emit a flammable gas when wet or react violently with water.
  • Ex: sodium, calcium, potassium.

[edit] Class 5: Oxidizing Agents & Organic Peroxides

• 5.1 Oxidizing agents other than organic peroxides.
  • Ex: calcium hypochlorite, ammonium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate.

• 5.2 Organic peroxides, either in liquid or solid form.
  • Ex: benzoyl peroxides, cumene hydroperoxide.

[edit] Class 6: Toxic and Infectious Substances

• 6.1a Toxic substances which are liable to cause death or serious injury to human health if inhaled, swallowed or by skin absorption.
  • Ex: potassium cyanide, mercuric chloride, hydrofluoric acid.
• 6.1b (Now PGIII) Toxic substances which are harmful to human health (N.B this symbol is no longer authorized by the United Nations).
  • Ex: low toxicity pesticides, methylene chloride.

• 6.2 Biohazardous substances.
  • Ex: virus cultures, pathology specimens, used intravenous needles.

Divided into two categories by the WHO: Cat. A (infectious) and Cat. B (samples).

[edit] Class 7: Radioactive Substances

• Radioactive substances comprise substances or a combination of substances which emit ionizing radiation.
  • Ex: uranium, plutonium.

[edit] Class 8: Corrosive Substances

Solids or liquids that can dissolve organic tissue or severely corrode certain metals.

• 8.1 Acids
  • Ex: sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid.
• 8.2 Alkalis
  • Ex: potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide.

[edit] Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Substances

• Hazardous substances that do not fall into the other categories.
  • Ex: asbestos, air-bag inflators, self inflating life rafts, dry ice.

[edit] Other hazardous materials labels (CHIP)

Xn, harmful, Xi, Irritant
T, toxic
C, corrosive
O, oxidizing
F, flammable
E, explosive
N, environmental hazard

[edit] See also

• Directive 67/548/EEC
• European chemical hazard symbol

[edit] External links

• United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (Model Regulations)
• UNECE - Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)
• Classification of Dangerous Goods - Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations - Canada
• Hazardous Materials Regulations - U.S. Department of Transport

• Dangerous Goods Advisory Council (DGAC)
• Dangeours Substances, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work