Home | Haulier Services | ADR
International Carriage Of Dangerous Goods By Road (ADR)
To establish whether a vehicle/load is subject to ADR rules use the following procedure.
1. Identify the transport category of the load, this is usually the same as the Packing Group but can be more accurately identified from the table (See Below.). If the size of the load does not exceed the limit in column 3 then ADR rules do not apply other than as follows:
i) One 2 kg fire extinguisher must still be carried and precaution taken against fire during loading/unloading and transit.
ii) The driver, although not requiring an ADR licence, should have received training appropriate to his responsibilities and duties.
iii) In the case of larger loads parking restrictions may still apply.
2. In the case of a mixed load the load size limits are calculated as follows:
The sum of
- the quantity of substances and articles of transport category 1 multiplied by 50
- the quantity of substances and articles of transport category 1 referred to in note are below the table multimlied by 20.
- the quantity of substances and articles of transport category 2 multiplied by 3, and...
- the quantity of substances and articles of transport category 3 shall not exceed 1000. If the number does not exceed 1000 then as in 1 above, only these provisions apply.
Note: Further exemptions may apply in the case of small quantities packed in combination packagings. In this case ADR does not apply at all.
The above summary is not intended as a definitive interpretation of ADR rules and no responsibility can be accepted for its accuracy. In case of doubt refer to http://www.unece.org.
(Please note ukhaulier.co.uk is not responsible for the content of any external internet sites)
Where the dangerous goods carried in the transport unit belong to the same category, the maximum total quantity per transport unit is indicated in column (3) of the table below.
Transport Category (1)
Substances or articles packing group or classification code/group or UN No. (2)
Maximum total quantity per transport unit (3)
0
Class 1: 1.1A/1.1L/1.2L/1.3L/1.4L and UN No. 0190
Class 3: UN No. 3343
Class 4.2: Substances belonging to packing group I
Class 4.3: UN No's. 1183, 1242, 1242, 1295, 1340, 1390, 1403, 1928, 2813, 2965, 2968, 2988, 3129, 3130, 3131, 3134, 3148, 3396, 3398 and 3399
Class 5.1: UN No. 2426
Class 6.1: UN No's 1051, 1600, 1613, 1614, 2312, 3250 and 3294
Class 6.2: UN No's. 2814 and 2900
Class 7: UN No's 2912 to 2919, 2977, 2978 and 3321 to 3333
Class 8: UN No. 2215 (MALEIC ANHYDRIDE, MOLTEN)
Class 9: UN No's. 2315, 3151, 3152 and 3432 and apparatus containing such substances
or mixtures and empty uncleaned pakagings, exept those classified under UN No. 2908, having
contained substances classified in the transport category.
0
1
Substances and articles belonging to packing group I and not classified in transport categories 0 and substances and articles of the following classes:
Class 1: 1.1B to 1.1Ja/1.2B to 1.2J/1.3C/1.3G/1.3H/1.3J/1.5Da
Class 2: Groups T, TCa, TO, TF, TOC and TFC, Aerosols: Groups C, CO, FC, T, TF, TC, TO, TFC and TOC
Class 4.1: UN No's 3221 to 3224 and 3231 to 3240
Class 5.2: UN No's. 3101 to 3104 and 3111 to 3120
20
2
Substances and articles belonging to packing group II and not classified in transport categories 0, 1 or 4 and substances of the following classes:
Class 1: 1.4B to 1.4G and 1.6N
Class 2: Group F, Aerosols: Group F
Class 4.1: Un No's 3225 to 3230
Class 5.2: Un No's. 3105 to 3110
Class 6.1: Substances and articles belonging to packing group III
Class 9: UN No. 3245
333
3
Substances and articles belonging to packing group III and not classified in transport categories 0, 2 or 4 and substances and articles of the following classes:
Class 2: Groups A and O, Aerosols: Groups A and O
Class 3: UN No. 3473
Class 7: Un No's. 2794, 2795, 2800 and 3028
Class 9: Un No's. 2990 and 3072
1000
4
Class 1: 1.4S
Class 4.1: UN No's. 1331, 1345, 1944, 1945, 2254 and 2623
Class 4.2: UN No's 1361 and 1362 packing group III
Class 7: Un No's 2908 to 2911
Class 9: Un No. 3268
and empty, uncleaned packagings having contained danerous goods, except for those classified in transport category 0
Unlimited
For UN No's. 0081, 0082, 0084, 0241, 0331, 0332, 0482, 1005 and 1017, the total maximum quantity per transport unitshall be 50kg.
ADR Tunnel Codes
Tunnel classification for ADR came into effect on 1st January 2010. These codes should make it easier to route journeys as the tunnels and codes are published on the
UNECE web-ste. You can find the at the following address: http://www.unece.org. The Tunnel codes will need to be added to transport
documents by consignors.
There are five categories of tunnel categorisation with A being the least restrictive and as such will not be sign-posted, through to E which will mean only the passage
of UN 2919, 3291, 3331, 3359 and 3373 will be allowed.
The categorisation is based on the assumption that in tunnels there are three major dangers which may cause numerous victims or serious damage to the tunnel itself, these are:
- Explosions
- Release of toxic gas or volatile liquid
- Fires
The UK aithorities have now concluded all but one of their codes on the nine applicable tunnels after undertaking the risk assessment process. These tunnels are confirmed as:
Tunnel Locations & Codes
Blackwall (London) - Code E
Clyde - Code D
Dartford - Code C
East India Dock Road (London) - Code E
Limehouse (London) - Code E
Mersey - Code D
Ramsgate - Code A
Rotherhithe (London) - Code E
Tyne - Code D
The codes above are for the tunnels themselves, the dangerous goods carried have a set of codes to go with them and can been seen on the table below (ADR 8.6.4).
Hauliers who transport goods under excemptions at 1.1.3, Limited and Excepted Quantities or under threshold limits for example will not have to apply to the tunnel codes as
they are not subject to the restrictions (shown at 1.9.5.3.6 & 8.6.3.3).
Each UN number has been given a tunnel restriction code and they can be found in table A 3.2.1 in column 15 along with the Transport category information.
If substances transported are in scope these codes will need to be inserted into the tranport documents in compliance with 5.4.1.1.1 (k). If it's known the travel will not involve any tunnels
then the code does not need to be entered.
When loads contain more than one dangerous substance the most restrictive code amongst those substances will need applying to the entire load.
Petrol (UN 1203) in tank carrage, which is a common member load can be shown as an example, colum 15 shows this as D/E. Looking at the table below, D/E allows the substance to travel through tunnel marked D or E.
Tunnel Codes
Tunnel Restriction codes explained
B
Passage forbidden through tunnels of category B, C, D and E.
B1000C
Carriage where the total net explosive mass per transport unit:
- Exceeds 1000kg: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category B, C, D and E.
- Does not exceed 1000kg: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category C, D and E.
B/D
Tank carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category B and C;
Other carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category D and E.
B/E
Tank carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category B, C and D;
Other carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category E.
C
Passage forbidden through tunnels of category C, D and E.
C5000C
Carriage where the total net explosive mass per transport unit:
- Exceeds 5000kg: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category C, D and E.
- Does not exceed 5000kg: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category D and E.
C/D
Tank carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category C, D and E;
Other carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category D and E.
C/E
Tank carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category C and D and E;
Other carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category E.
D
Passage forbidden through tunnels of category D and E.
D/E
Bank or Tank carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category D and E;
Other carriage: Passage forbidden through tunnels of category E.
E
Passage forbidden through tunnels of category E.
-
Passage allowed through all tunnels (For UN Nos. 2919 and 3331, see also 8.6.3.1)
Disclaimer
This content gives general guidance only and should not be regarded as a complete
or authoritative statement of the law. The guidance will be updated to reflect any
developments in new legislation or case law.
Can't find what your looking for? Try looking at other related links within UK Haulier's Haulier Services section
ADR Guidence
Dangerous Goods Guidence
Fuel Prices
HGV, Fleet & G.I.T Insurance
Live Traffic Updates
Road Haulage News
UK Haulier HGV Route Planner
Weather Warnings
Working Time Directive