ADR classes and ADR transport
As a transporter, we transport all kinds of goods. In most cases, these are simple pallets with customers’ products loaded on them. These may contain soft teddy bears, but not all goods are so safe and innocent. Certain types of goods carry risks. These include flammable products, explosion hazards and toxic substances. You cannot simply transport these goods. You will have to consider ADR Classes. However, you can already read more about these ADR Classes in this blog!
ADR meaning
ADR is the abbreviation for Accord relatif au transport international de marchandises Dangereuses par Route. If you don’t speak French: simply put, it means the transport of dangerous goods. ADR is the European treaty, consisting of agreements and regulations concerning the transport of dangerous goods and substances by road.
ADR Rules
The ADR rulebook has been compiled by the United Nations. These rules lay down everything relating to the transport of hazardous substances. For example, there are rules on how the substances must be transported, what markings are required on the truck and which substances may be transported through which tunnels. The full set of rules can be found on the UNECE website.
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ADR classes and labels
In total there are 9 ADR classes, with classes 2, 4, 5 and 6 further divided into several hazard classes. The description of these ADR classes and hazard classes can be found below.
Class 1: Explosive substances and objects
This class mainly includes objects such as fireworks, weapons and ammunition. The main hazard is the risk of explosion. You can recognise them by the label below:
Class 2: Gases
Class 2 involves different types of gases. The main hazards are flammability, suffocation, corrosive substances and toxic substances.
Class 2.1 Flammable gas
Flammable gases fall under class 2.1. You can recognise them by the red sign with the flame.
Class 2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic gas
Class 2.2 designates gases that are not flammable or toxic. It is indicated by a green label with a gas bottle on it:
Class 2.3: toxic gas
Toxic gas also has its own subclass, namely ADR Class 2.3. This is indicated by the skull on a white sign.
Class 3: Flammable liquids
Class 3 contains liquids that can ignite under specific conditions. The risk of fire is therefore the most important. The label below identifies these flammable liquids:
Class 4: Flammable solids
Like class 3, ADR class 4 classifies flammable substances. In this case, it concerns flammable solids. Class 4 is divided into three hazard classes:
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Class 4.1: Flammable solids
Highly flammable substances in granular, powder, metal or paste form. They can be recognised by their red and white striped label:
Class 4.2: Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
These are substances that can ignite with oxygen from the air without an ignition source. They can be recognised by the red and white label:
Class 4.3: Substances emitting gas in water
Class 4.3 contains substances that develop flammable gases when combined with water. There is a risk of gas formation and explosion. You can recognise them by the blue label:
Class 5: Oxidising substances
Class 5 contains oxidising substances. This means that these substances release oxygen and can cause combustion in other substances. The substances themselves do not have to be combustible. Class 5 is also divided into two hazard classes.
Class 5.1: Oxidising substances
These are substances that are not combustible themselves, but may cause combustion of other substances. These substances have the following yellow label:
Class 5.1: Organic Peroxides
Organic peroxides are chemically unstable substances that can decompose themselves. They are mainly used as auxiliary materials for plastics. The substances can be corrosive and/or flammable. You can recognise them by the following label:
Class 6: Toxic substances
Toxic substances also have their own ADR class. This is further subdivided into classes 6.1 and 6.2.
Class 6.1: Toxic substances
These toxic substances refer to substances that damage human health or cause death if inhaled, touched or swallowed. You can recognise these by the label with a skull, similar to the label belonging to class 2.3.
Class 6.2: Infectious substances
Class 6.2 classifies infectious substances that can cause disease in humans and/or animals. It also has a white label, recognisable by the logo that you see in every sci-fi film:
Class 7: Radioactive material
Class 7 includes substances that spontaneously emit energy in the form of invisible radiation, i.e. radioactive substances. You will also see this logo in a film from time to time:
Class 8: Corrosive substances
Corrosive substances are chemicals that attack the skin or mucous membranes, such as hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid. The following label shows that a corrosive substance is being transported:
Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
Class 9 is something of an “other” category. This concerns substances which pose a hazard during transport but do not fall under the description of the other classes. They are labelled as follows:
ADR numbers
To indicate certain ADR classes and dangerous goods, we use different numbers in the industry. The most important ones are listed below.
Kemler sign
The Kemler sign, also known as the UN sign, is not really a number in itself, of course. This sign serves as a warning sign on trucks to indicate the hazardous substances transported in the trailer. It is an orange sign, divided into two areas by a black line. The lower area shows the UN number. The upper area is used to indicate the GEVI number (or Kemler Code).
UN number
A UN number is the classification number of a dangerous substance, also called substance designation number. It is a four-digit number that classifies the substance according to the guidelines set by the United Nations (UN).
The UN number is recognised worldwide and is even an obligation in most countries when transporting dangerous goods. This number must be printed on the outside of the packaging of the goods and be clearly visible.
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Some common dangerous goods and substances have their own UN number. All other types are assigned a UN number that corresponds to the umbrella category to which they belong. The latter numbers can be recognised by the words “N.E.G.” after the number. (not mentioned elsewhere) after the number.
GEVI number
GEVI number stands for hazard identification number. Whereas the UN number indicates which substance is being transported, the GEVI number shows which specific hazard is involved. The first number in the number indicates the principal hazard. If the second number is equal to the first, this means that the primary hazard is increased.
EASY Road Transport and ADR Classes
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