Shipping dangerous goods
Dangerous goods classes
Dangerous goods are separated into different classes which affect how you must package and transport them. If you’re only shipping limited quantities the rules are not as strict.
| Class | Type of material |
|---|---|
| 1 | Explosive substances and articles |
| 2.1 | Flammable gas (for example butane) |
| 2.2 | Non-flammable and non-toxic gases which could cause asphyxiation (for example nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide) or oxidisers (for example oxygen) |
| 2.3 | Toxic gases (for example chlorine, phosgene) |
| 3 | Flammable liquids (for example lighter fluid, petrol) |
| 4.1 | Flammable solids, self-reactive substances and solid desensitised explosives |
| 4.2 | Substances liable to spontaneous combustion |
| 4.3 | Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases |
| 5.1 | Oxidising substances |
| 5.2 | Organic peroxides |
| 6.1 | Toxic substances |
| 6.2 | Infectious substances |
| 7 | Radioactive material |
| 8 | Corrosive substances |
| 9 | Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles |
The consignor or sender is responsible for classifying, packaging and marking any dangerous goods to be transported.
Clinical waste
You must be registered as a waste carrier to carry clinical waste, for example from a hospital or veterinary surgery. The Health and Safety Executive website has details of packaging and labelling of containers for clinical waste.