UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

The UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods are contained in two documents prepared by the Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). They cover the transport of dangerous goods by all modes of transport except by bulk tanker. They are not obligatory or legally binding on individual countries, but have gained a wide degree of international acceptance: they form the basis of several international agreements and many national laws.

"Dangerous goods" (also known as "hazardous materials" or "HAZMAT" in the United States) may be pure chemical substance (for example, trinitrotoluene (TNT), nitroglycerin), mixtures (for example, dynamite, gunpowder) or manufactured articles (for example, ammunition, fireworks). The transport hazards that they pose are grouped into nine classes, which may be subdivided into divisions and/or packing groups. The most common dangerous goods are assigned a UN number, a four digit code which identifies it internationally: less common substances are transported under generic codes such as "UN1993: flammable liquid, not otherwise specified".

The UN Recommendations do not cover the manufacture, use or disposal of dangerous goods.

History

The first version of the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods was produced by the ECOSOC in 1956. From 1996, the Recommendations were effectively split into two parts: the Model Regulations, which form a suggested drafting for laws and regulations on the transport of dangerous goods; and the Manual of Tests and Criteria, which contains technical information about methods of testing products to ascertain their hazards. The 15th edition of the Recommendations was published in 2007.

	Hazardous Materials
	Class 2.1: Flammable Gas

See also

• European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road ("ADR")
• Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail ("RID", part of the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail)
• European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways ("ADN")
• International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code ("IMDG Code", part of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea)
• Annex 18 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation ("Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air")

References

• Vorlage:UNTestManual
• Vorlage:UNModRegs

External links

• Dangerous Goods at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe