Dangerous goods – the basics

Many everyday goods are dangerous to transport. Diesel, petrol, LPG, paint, cleaning products and batteries can burn, explode, corrode or poison if something goes wrong. Such goods are called dangerous goods (farligt gods), and special rules apply to them. This chapter gives you the basics. To drive dangerous goods yourself, separate training is required.

What are dangerous goods?

Dangerous goods are substances and articles that can harm people, animals, the environment or property if they leak out or are damaged during transport. The substances are divided into nine classes (klasser) according to the type of danger they present:

Class	Type of danger
1	Explosive substances and articles
2	Gases
3	Flammable liquids
4.1–4.3	Flammable solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion and substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases
5.1–5.2	Oxidising substances and organic peroxides
6.1–6.2	Toxic and infectious substances
7	Radioactive material
8	Corrosive substances
9	Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

Each class has its own risks and rules for packaging, marking and handling.

Who sets the rules?

The rules for transporting dangerous goods by road are based on an international agreement called ADR. In Sweden the rules are issued by Myndigheten för civilt försvar (MCF) (the Swedish Civil Defence Agency) in regulations called ADR-S. MCF's website has information about the rules and training.

Driver training certificate

As a driver, you may not carry dangerous goods just because you have a driving licence and YKB. Anyone who transports dangerous goods by road must have a driver training certificate (förarintyg) (often called an ADR certificate, ADR-intyg) issued by MCF or another competent authority.

The certificate shows which classes you may carry and whether you may carry them in tanks:

• A basic qualification (grundbehörighet) covers most classes when carried as packages (styckegods), that is not in tanks.
• For class 1 (explosives) the number 1 must appear on the certificate.
• For class 7 (radioactive material) the number 7 must appear on the certificate.
• To carry dangerous goods in tanks, the classes must also appear under the heading for tanks.

If the number for a particular class is missing, you may not carry that class.

Marking the vehicle

A vehicle carrying dangerous goods in such quantities that the regulations require it must be marked with an orange-coloured plate (orangefärgad skylt). The plate tells other road users, the police and the rescue services that the vehicle has a dangerous load. It is also this marking that decides whether the road signs for dangerous goods apply to your vehicle. Exactly what the marking must look like and when it is required is something you learn in ADR training.

Road signs for dangerous goods

Two road signs are especially important:

• C9 – No entry for vehicles carrying dangerous goods. The sign prohibits traffic with vehicles whose load requires marking with an orange-coloured plate (Road Signs Ordinance (vägmärkesförordningen), C9).
• D12 – Mandatory direction for vehicles carrying dangerous goods. The sign shows which way vehicles with a load requiring an orange plate must go. A letter on the sign indicates which tunnel category (tunnelkategori) the vehicles may not drive through.

So these signs do not apply to all lorries, only to those with a load that requires an orange plate.

If something happens

If you are involved in a crash or see dangerous goods leaking from a vehicle, a few basic rules apply:

• Keep your distance, and avoid standing where the wind blows from the crash towards you.
• Call 112 and say that it involves dangerous goods. If you can read anything on the orange plate, pass it on.
• Do not smoke or use naked flames nearby.
• Do not walk into vapour, smoke or leaking liquid.

Drivers who carry dangerous goods have learned in their driver training more about what applies to that particular load and which protective equipment must be in the vehicle.

Why it concerns all lorry drivers

Even if you will never carry dangerous goods yourself, you need to know the basics. You may be asked to carry a load that turns out to be dangerous goods, and then you must know that you may not carry it without a driver training certificate. You must also understand the road signs and be able to act correctly if you come upon a crash involving another vehicle.

Remember

• Dangerous goods are divided into classes according to the type of danger, for example gases, flammable liquids and corrosive substances.
• The rules are based on ADR and are issued in Sweden by MCF as ADR-S.
• The driver must have a driver training certificate; a driving licence and YKB are not enough on their own.
• Class 1, class 7 and tank transport require a special qualification on the certificate.
• Vehicles with such a load must have an orange-coloured plate.
• C9 prohibits vehicles with a load requiring an orange plate. D12 shows their route, and the letter indicates the tunnel category.
• In a crash: keep your distance, call 112 and say that it involves dangerous goods.