Jargon buster

A way to carry mixed dangerous goods under a quantity threshold without full ADR rules. Each transport category has a points multiplier; if the total stays at or below 1000 points, lighter rules apply.

The European agreement that sets the rules for carrying dangerous goods by road. It's the rulebook drivers, packers and companies must follow. Updated every two years (2025 is the current edition; 2027 next).

A yearly report the DGSA writes about the company's dangerous-goods activity and safety — required by law and kept for the authorities. It's a DGSA's headline deliverable.

The transport company that actually moves the goods. They check the load is allowed, the vehicle is right, the driver is trained and the paperwork is there before driving off.

The type of danger something poses, from 1 to 9 — e.g. Class 3 = flammable liquid, Class 8 = corrosive. A thing's class decides which diamond label it gets and many of the rules that apply.

A short letter/number code in the list that pins down the exact type of danger within a class — e.g. 'F1' for a flammable liquid with a flash point under 60 °C. It refines what the class number says.

An extra letter (A–S) used only for Class 1 explosives that says which explosives may be loaded together. Two explosives with clashing groups must be kept apart.

The company that sends the dangerous goods (the shipper). They're responsible for classifying correctly, packing right and getting the paperwork started.

Things that can hurt people, property or the environment if they leak, spill, catch fire or react — like petrol, gas cylinders, bleach or batteries. ADR is the rulebook for moving them by road.

Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser — the qualified person a company must appoint to oversee how it moves dangerous goods, advise on the rules, and write the yearly safety report. The DGSA is the legal expert; drivers aren't.

Even smaller amounts than LQ, in tiny packagings, that travel under very light rules. Marked with a special 'E' code (E0–E5). E0 means 'not allowed as Excepted Quantity'.

The top number on an orange plate (e.g. '33' for very flammable petrol). It quickly tells emergency services the kind of danger. Often called the 'Kemler code'. A leading 'X' means 'do not let it touch water'.

Dangerous goods that could be misused to cause mass harm (e.g. certain explosives or toxic gases in large amounts). They trigger extra security rules, including a written security plan.

The equivalents of ADR for other transport modes: IMDG = by sea, IATA = by air. The UN number, name and class stay the same across modes, but many other rules differ.

The four-page emergency action card (same format in every country) kept in the cab. It tells the driver what to do if something goes wrong — what protective kit to use and first actions.

The diamond-shaped hazard symbol stuck on a package showing its class. A package can carry a main label plus smaller 'subsidiary' labels if it has more than one danger.

Small amounts of dangerous goods in small inner packagings can travel under lighter rules ('Limited Quantity'). Marked with a black-and-white diamond instead of a full hazard label.

'Not Otherwise Specified' — a catch-all listing used when a substance has no exact name in the list. You pick the closest N.O.S. entry and add the chemical name in brackets on the paperwork.

The plain reflective orange rectangle on the front and back of a dangerous-goods vehicle. On some loads it also shows two numbers: the Hazard ID (top) and the UN number (bottom).

The people who put goods into packaging (packer) or onto the vehicle (loader). Each has duties — using the right packaging, respecting load limits and segregation when loading.

How dangerous a substance is within its class: I = high danger, II = medium, III = low. It affects packaging strength and some quantity limits. (Not every class uses packing groups.)

A large (usually 250 mm) hazard diamond displayed on the outside of a vehicle, tank or container so people can see the danger from a distance — bigger version of the package label.

The official name for a substance that goes on the paperwork and package — not a brand name. UN1203's proper shipping name is 'PETROL' (or 'MOTOR SPIRIT'). It always pairs with the UN number.

A serious dangerous-goods incident (a bad spill, injury, or release above set thresholds) that the company must formally report. ADR 1.8.5 sets out exactly what counts and what must be recorded.

A written plan a company must have when carrying high-consequence dangerous goods, covering who is responsible, how goods are protected, and what to do about threats.

Keeping goods that would react dangerously together apart on the same vehicle — like keeping certain acids away from things that catch fire. ADR has a table of what may and may not travel together.

Extra rules or exemptions tied to a specific UN number, shown as code numbers in the list (e.g. SP640). You look each code up in chapter 3.3 to see what it changes for that substance.

A second danger a substance has on top of its main class — shown by a smaller label without a number. Example: a flammable liquid (Class 3) that is also corrosive (Class 8) carries a Class 8 subsidiary label.

The big master table in ADR chapter 3.2 that lists every UN number with its name, class, packing group, labels, limits and special rules. Looking a UN number up here is the starting point for nearly every decision.

A code (column 12 of the list) that says which type of tank a substance may travel in. Reading it correctly is a core DGSA skill when approving tank movements.

A number 0–4 in the Dangerous Goods List that sets the points multiplier for the 1000-point rule and the free limits. Category 0 = strictest (no threshold), 4 = most relaxed.

The paperwork that must travel with a dangerous-goods load. It lists the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group and quantity in a set order, so everyone knows what's on board.

A letter from A to E that says how restricted a load is in road tunnels. A = no restriction, E = most restricted. Tunnels are signed with the category they ban, so the driver must check the load's code first.

A four-digit 'name tag' given to each dangerous substance, used worldwide. For example petrol is UN1203. It tells everyone exactly what's in the package, in any language.