Hazardous Delivery FAQs: Your Dangerous Goods Guide

When it comes to delivering hazardous goods in the UK, there are several rules and regulations that must be strictly followed to ensure safety is always the priority. As a specialist hazardous delivery company based in Hull, we have an experienced team with years of experience to handle any questions you may have regarding the delivery of dangerous goods throughout the UK.

What Materials Are Considered Hazardous? 

The term ‘hazardous’ within the logistics industry is broad. It covers everything from household cleaners & hairspray to corrosive chemicals. Materials and items are considered hazardous as soon as they pose a risk to health, public safety, property, animals or the environment. For the hazardous classification list, check out our What Can You Delivery With Our Hazardous Delivery Service blog.

What Regulations Govern Dangerous Good Deliveries? 

In the UK, the delivery and transportation of hazardous goods is enforced and governed by: 

• The Department of Transport (DfT)
• The Health and Safety Executive
• The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), this only applies to radioactive materials 
• The Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency 
• Police Forces 

Hazardous deliveries by road must follow the ADR International Treaty — The Agreement Concerning the International; Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. This agreement was previously known as a European Agreement until January 2021.  

What Packaging is Needed for Dangerous Good Transportation?

The transportation of dangerous goods requires specially designed and approved packaging. Without the correct packaging, the delivery poses a risk to everything around the material including the driver, the public and the environment. The most common types of packaging for hazardous goods are drums or barrels, boxes, canisters, containers and special combination packaging. All packaging must be approved by relevant authorities and comply with regulations, more information can be found on Health and Safety Executive.

All packages containing dangerous materials must also be correctly labelled for safety reasons. All dangerous goods labels should be placed on one side of the box and be clearly visible. If required, the shipper’s declaration must be attached to the box.

Can You Reuse Hazardous Material Packaging? 

Despite not many people being aware, packaging for hazardous materials can actually be reused. However, to reuse packaging, strict regulations and standards must be followed. To be reused, packaging must be thoroughly inspected before each use, it must be free of any previous hazardous material residue and the packaging must not have any loss of structural integrity. For drums, jerricans and barrels, a leakproof test must be conducted and minimum requirements in wall thickness must be met. 

What Paperwork Do You Need for Hazardous Delivery?

Since the delivery of hazardous materials is a complex job that comes with several risks, the sender must have the required paperwork and documents. Under ADR, it is a legal requirement that the package(s) are always accompanied by a transport document setting out detailed information on what is being carried, the classification of the substances and how it is packaged. 

It’s also a legal requirement to carry documents containing prescribed information for each hazardous product being carried including the UN number, technical name and shipment name, emergency instructions and relevant identification. 

What Are the Penalties for Incorrectly Transporting Dangerous Goods?

There are several possible punishments if you’re found guilty of incorrectly handling and transporting dangerous goods by road, air and sea. Failure to correctly transport hazardous goods by road in line with ADR can lead to:

• Probation notices
• Unlimited fines 
• Notices 
• Imprisonment

Amazon was once fined $91,000 for improperly shipping a package containing flammable liquid by air. They also failed to provide shipping papers, emergency response information and also failed to correctly label the package.

Delivering Hazardous Materials Nationwide with Nigel Rice

If you’re delivering hazardous materials by road and are looking for help, advice or even someone to take the complicated stuff from your hands, the team here at Nigel Rice are here to help and answer any questions you may have. For years, we have been offering an unparalleled, 100% ADR complaint service to the whole of the UK. We’ll guide you through the whole process from start to finish. 

For a hassle-free hazardous delivery service in Hull, York, Driffield, Bridlington, Scarborough, Malton and Pickering — contact us today!