Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Carriage of dangerous goods
1. The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/1573) (CDG 2007) and the European agreement (“Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises dangereuses par route”, known as ADR) which together regulate the carriage of dangerous goods by road are highly prescriptive. The regulations were substantially restructured for 2007 and now include the carriage of radioactive substances. This guidance does not include reference to the carriage of radioactive substances.
2. This guidance is intended for enforcement officers, but may be helpful to others. It will guide them through the process and help them to make informed judgements about the extent of compliance. It will also guide officers when discussing compliance with duty holders and deciding when to take further action. The reader should remember that the law can only be interpreted by the Courts.
3. CDG 2007 cross-refers to ADR to a large extent, and it is ADR that contains the detailed requirements. The regulations alter some of the details of how ADR is implemented in UK, but this is discussed in ADR and CDG 2007.
4. ADR 2007 continues the security requirements in chapter 1.10. This guidance does not deal with these matters as enforcement is carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (VOSA).
5. ADR is highly structured and prescriptive. It follows that if care and time are taken, the answer to most problems can be found, and for that reason there is little or no need for extensive explanatory literature or guidance.
6. Many duty holders will need to appoint a “Dangerous goods safety adviser” and thus should have access to the specialist knowledge needed to navigate the regulations and ADR.
7. Some background to CDG 2007 is given in Regulatory environment. The chapter Operational strategy and enforcement sets out HSE’s operational strategy with some enforcement guidance. ADR and CDG 2007 describes the relationship between the regulations and ADR. Subsequent chapters largely follow the structure of ADR. Each chapter is set out as follows:
8. This guidance does not repeat the requirements of CDG 2007 or ADR, but directs the reader to the parts of the regulations and ADR that will be of relevance. It is intended to provide a basis for a consistent approach across the three agencies that are involved in enforcement.
9. The guidance is structured in line with ADR, that is, it follows the logical chain of duties from classification of substances through to carriage.
10. The Common problems chapter gives advice for a consistent approach. It is intended that this part will be extended as new problems emerge and are resolved.
