Transporting machinery or equipment containing dangerous goods by road or rail
Updated 24 October 2023
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1. Overview
All machinery or equipment containing dangerous goods should be classified for transport using the most appropriate entry available in the dangerous goods list. Transport should be in compliance with the provisions of that entry.
2. Use of the new provisions
From 2023, carriers will need to refer to the specific provisions of the UN entry to which the good is classified in the dangerous goods list.
Other exemptions under 1.1.3, or contained in special provisions for the entry to which the good is classified, may still apply. For example, enterprises which carry machinery or equipment ancillary to their main activity, such as for deliveries to or returns from building or civil engineering sites, or in relation to surveying, repairs and maintenance, may be exempt under 1.1.3.1 (c).
3. Classification of machinery or equipment for transport
Classification of machinery or equipment for transport should be done in accordance with part 2 of the RID/ADR. The dangerous goods list in chapter 3.3 contains entries for classification. Where an appropriate single entry for a well-defined article is available, this would take priority over a collective entry for the purposes of classification.
When classifying goods for transport, always refer to the latest edition of the RID/ADR and seek the advice of a qualified dangerous goods safety adviser.
The entries in the following table may be applicable for machinery or equipment containing dangerous goods, but this list should not be considered exhaustive:
| Single entries for well-defined articles | eg UN no. 3166 vehicle, flammable gas powered |
|---|---|
| UN nos. 3528, 3529 and 3530 | These entries apply to engines or machinery powered by fuels classified as dangerous goods via internal combustion systems or fuel cells. |
| UN no. 3363 | This entry is for dangerous goods in machinery or dangerous goods in apparatus. It is only applicable to machinery or apparatus containing dangerous goods as a residue, or as an integral element of the machinery or apparatus. Each dangerous good contained must be within the relevant limited quantity amount for that good, set out in column 7(a) of the dangerous goods list. |
| UN nos. 3537 to 3548 | Articles containing [various dangerous goods] NOS (not otherwise specified). As per section 2.1.5.1 of the RID/ADR, machinery or equipment containing dangerous goods may be classified under UN nos. 3537 to 3548, or under the proper shipping name for the dangerous good contained. |
4. Legal texts
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The Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ADR)
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The Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF)) Appendix C – Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID)
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The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009), as amended by The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment (Amendment) Regulations 2011, and The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (CDG 2009, as amended)
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The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999