DGS information sheet Page 1 of 7 Issued 2 October 2018

Dangerous Goods Safety information sheet

Transporting dangerous goods packed in limited quantities (iIncorporating changes from the 7.6 edition of the ADG Code)

Introduction

This information sheet summarises the regulatory requirements in chapter 3.4 Dangerous Goods packed in limited quantities of the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail (ADG Code).

The ADG Code offers reduced regulatory requirements for transporting dangerous goods in limited quantity packaging (LQ), which are relatively small packages containing selected low-hazard dangerous goods.

The Dangerous Goods List, Table 3.2.3 of the ADG Code, excludes a large range of high-hazard dangerous goods from qualifying for LQ packaging including dangerous goods with explosive properties and Packing Group I dangerous goods, approximately one third of all UN entries are excluded.

Column 7(a) of Table 3.2.3 indicates an exclusion from LQ with the notation “0”, or a maximum LQ quantity ranging from 100 g (ml) to 5 kg (L) for each inner packaging.

Table 1 Dangerous goods list (Table 3.2.3, ADG Code)

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LQ dangerous goods packaging attracts reduced regulatory requirements for packaging, labelling, and segregation of different dangerous goods, with the bonus of a raised placard load limit of 2,000 kg/L.

Chapter 3.4 contains additional reductions in regulatory requirements for the following three categories of very-low-hazard LQ dangerous goods:

1. Concessional limited quantities (CLQ), see section 3.4.10;

2. Mixed Packet (Lower Risk) Dangerous Goods, see section 3.4.11;

3. Personal Care Products in Consumer Packaging, see section 3.4.12;

LQ requirements of chapter 3.4 ADG Code section reference

Limited quantities definition 3.4.1

Packaging 3.4.2

Segregation 3.4.3

Marking and labelling 3.4.4 - 3.4.9

Concessional limited quantities requirements

with simplified documentation

3.4.10

Documentation template Form B2 – see Appendix

Mixed Packet (Lower Risk) Dangerous Goods 3.4.11

Personal Care Products in Consumer Packaging 3.4.12

Packaging requirements

LQ packaging must be designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport and handling there will not be any accidental release of the dangerous goods.

Packaging does not require a design approval by a Competent Authority and therefore there is no requirement to mark the packaging with the UN packaging symbol as per paragraph 6.1.3.1. Furthermore, packaging does not need to conform to the packing instructions and the special packing provisions of columns 8 and 9 of the Dangerous Goods List in Table 3.2.3.

Inner and outer packagings must comply with the general packaging provisions of the Code: 4.1.1.1, 4.1.1.2, 4.1.1.4 to 4.1.1.8, and the construction requirements in 6.1.4.

In addition:

1. LQs must be packed in inner and outer packaging

2. Inner packaging is not necessary for aerosols

3. Inner packagings liable to break or punctured, such as those made of glass, porcelain, stoneware or certain plastics must have intermediate packaging.

4. All inner packagings containing Class 8 liquids of packing group II in glass, porcelain and stoneware must have rigid intermediate packaging.

5. Outer packagings must not exceed a total gross weight of 30 kg, except for shrink-wrapped or stretch-wrapped trays or pallets, which are limited to 20 kg. Shrink-wrapped or stretch-wrapped trays or pallets do not need to comply with 6.1.4.

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Segregation requirements

Different LQs may be placed in the same outer packaging provided they will not interact dangerously in the event of leakage. Other segregation requirements, including the provisions of Part 9 of the ADG Code, do not apply to LQs.

Segregation requirements between non-LQ dangerous goods and LQ packages still apply as per Part 9 of the ADG Code.

Marking and labelling requirements

The outer package must use the LQ mark, see Figure 1 below, instead of the more comprehensive Chapter 5.2 requirements. If the size of the package requires a smaller mark, then it can be reduced, but not less than 50 mm x 50 mm. Outer LQ packages must be marked with orientation arrows when they contain liquid dangerous goods as specified in section 5.2.1.7.

There are no marking or labelling requirements for inner packaging.

Figure 1 Marking for packages containing limited quantities (Figure 3.4.1, ADG Code)

Raised placard load limit for LQ loads of 2000

A placard limit of 2,000 kg/L is available for loads consisting exclusively of LQ packages and / or domestic consumable dangerous goods. This is an increase from 1,000 kg/L.

Where other dangerous goods are also included in the load the most stringent placard load limit for the dangerous goods being transported applies, either 1000 kg/L or 250 kg/L, as explained in a new entry (e) in Table 5.3 Placard Load (Minimum Quantities).

Examples of placarded load limits

Vehicle Dangerous goods carried Placard limit Table 5.3 reference

Placard load

A 1,500 kg of limited quantity dangerous goods

2,000 kg e No

B 1,500 kg of limited quantity dangerous goods

10 kg Division 2.3

250 kg b Yes

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Cargo transport units can be placarded with the following placards (with minimum sides of 250 mm).

Load Example load Placard

Dangerous goods packed in limited quantities only

(section 5.2.2.2.4)

a pallet of Class 3 limited quantities

several boxes of Class 9 limited quantities

Dangerous goods packed in limited quantities with other dangerous goods

(section 5.2.2.2.3)

as above

PLUS

IBC of Class 3

drum of Class 9

Significance of a placard load

Transport documents are required for the transport of any quantity of dangerous goods, but compliance with a range of other duties apply at and above placard load quantity, including the following:

emergency information for the dangerous goods, emergency plan, approved emergency responder, stowage and restraint requirements of chapter 8.1, safety equipment and fire extinguishers in accordance with Table 12.1 and reflector signals and PPE in accordance with Table 12.2.

Concessional limited quantities

Concessional Limited Quantities (CLQ) is a term coined to describe the types of dangerous goods that can utilise the simplified transport document located in Appendix A and the raised placard load limit of 2000.

Note: the introduction of CLQs allowed the abolition of the Retail Distribution Load contained in Chapter 7.3 of ADG7.4.

DANGEROUS

GOODS

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CLQ loads comprise two types of dangerous goods packaging:

1. Limited quantity dangerous good that is of a kind generally used for personal care or household purposes (other than any of the three ammonium nitrate UN entries). It does not matter whether these products are used in the home or a commercial/industrial setting and typical examples are given in the table below:

hair spray aerosol and methylated spirit

gas cartridges – non refillable aerosol cans

adhesives aftershave domestic bleach

correcting fluid flea collars caustic soda

plant food kerosene acetone

and

2. “domestic consumable dangerous goods”, which are non-LQ small household articles of low hazard. They are defined: “means party poppers, sparklers and bon-bons (“Fireworks” UN 0337), domestic smoke detectors (UN 2911), lighters and lighter refills (UN 1057) or portable fire extinguishers with compressed or liquefied gas up to 23 kg gross weight (UN 1044)”.

sparklers must be classified as 1.4S.

If sparklers are classified as fireworks of UN 0336 (1.4G) and UN 0335 (1.3G) they are not domestic consumables. The transport of these larger sparklers are regulated under the explosives regulations of each jurisdiction, which refer to the Australian Code for the Transport of Explosives by Road and Rail, 3rd edition.

The CLQ transport document template has been included in the Appendix. Transporters may use a business-specific template, which must provide the following information:

(a) Consignor details (b) Consignee details (c) Date (d) Quantity of all Classes, Divisions and specified substances listed on the CLQ Transport

Document (e) Presence or absence of food (f) Certification of compliance to the Code.

Mixed packet (lower risk) dangerous goods

Mixed packet (lower risk) dangerous goods are limited quantity dangerous goods household cleaners, which are not aerosols, pool or spa cleaners, or Division 2.3 dangerous goods.

They must be contained in an outer package that weighs no more than 10 kg, contains at least 50% non-dangerous goods by volume, and does not contain food.

The packages must be labelled as follows:

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While these packages need to comply with the normal LQ packaging (section 3.4.2) and segregation (section 3.4.3.1) requirements, they are not subject to any other provisions of the ADG Code, such as documentation or placarding requirements, or any of the normal duties that apply above placard load quantities.

Note: The segregation requirement at section 3.4.3.1 allows different dangerous goods in the same outer packaging provided they will not interact dangerously in the event of leakage.

Personal care product in consumer packaging

Personal care products in consumer packaging are limited quantity dangerous goods substances intended for placement in contact with any external part of the human body, including the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and the teeth, such as cosmetics.

These products need only comply with the normal LQ packaging requirement at section 3.4.2 and no other requirements of the ADG Code.

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Appendix A

Figure A Sample concessional limited quantities transport document (Figure B2, ADG Code)