Safe transport of goods and materials

Before you transport any goods by road or rail, you'll need to identify if your goods are dangerous. Many goods are not dangerous themselves, but contain substances which could present a hazard to people, the environment or both. Dangerous goods may include substances that are explosive, toxic, radioactive, corrosive or flammable.

In the event of a road or rail accident, spillage of these substances could cause hazards such as fire, damage to the environment and chemical burns.

If you want to transport these types of material, you must identify the hazards involved. This process is known as classification.

If the goods you're transporting are dangerous, it's likely you'll have to comply with a range of important legal requirements.

Transporting dangerous goods by sea

If you transport dangerous goods by sea, you must comply with the International Maritime Organisation's Dangerous Goods Code.

Transporting dangerous goods by air

If you transport dangerous goods by air, you must comply with regulations set out in the International Air Transport Association's Dangerous Goods Regulations Manual.