MYDG.HUB › Glossary
Dangerous goods glossary: ADR, IATA DGR and Spain
Thirty-two terms you meet in any dangerous goods shipment, each with a one-sentence definition and the paragraph of the regulation it rests on.
- UN number
- Proper shipping name (PSN)
- Hazard classes
- Table A
- Special provision
- Packing group
- Transport document
- Instructions in writing
- Hazard label
- Placard
- Kemler code
- Orange plate
- Lithium battery mark
- Label 9A
- Environmentally hazardous substance mark
- 1.1.3.6 exemption
- Transport category
- Limited Quantities (LQ)
- LQ mark
- Excepted Quantities (EQ)
- EQ mark
- UN packaging code (4G, 4GV)
- X, Y and Z in the UN mark
- Combination packaging
- Overpack
- UN3373
- UN3480 and UN3481
- Dry ice (UN1845)
- Tunnel code
- RIMP
- DeCA
- Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA)
Identification and documents
What is a UN number?
A UN number is the four-figure number that identifies each substance or article in column (1) of Table A of the ADR. It is the key to the rest of the row, and it appears in the bottom half of the orange plate when the plate carries numbers.
ADR 2025, Table A, column (1); 5.3.2.2.2. · Read more →
What is a proper shipping name?
The proper shipping name is the part of a Table A entry that most accurately describes the goods, shown in upper case; for example ETHANOL (ETHYL ALCOHOL). It goes on the transport document together with the UN number.
ADR 2025, 3.1.2.1 and 5.4.1.1.1. · Read more →
What are the ADR hazard classes?
ADR divides dangerous goods into 13 classes: 1 explosives; 2 gases; 3 flammable liquids; 4.1 flammable solids; 4.2 substances liable to spontaneous combustion; 4.3 substances which emit flammable gases in contact with water; 5.1 oxidizing; 5.2 organic peroxides; 6.1 toxic; 6.2 infectious; 7 radioactive; 8 corrosive; 9 miscellaneous.
ADR 2025, 2.1.1.1. · Read more →
What is Table A of the ADR?
Table A of Chapter 3.2 is the ADR dangerous goods list: one row per UN number with the class, packing group, labels (column 5), limited (7a) and excepted (7b) quantities, transport category and tunnel code (15) and hazard identification number (20).
ADR 2025, Chapter 3.2, Table A. · Read more →
What is a special provision?
A special provision is a numbered rule in Chapter 3.3 that applies to a substance when its number appears in column (6) of Table A. It may add conditions or exempt the goods, partly or wholly, from the ADR requirements.
ADR 2025, 1.1.3.4.1 and Chapter 3.3. · Read more →
What is a packing group?
A packing group states how dangerous a substance is: I, high danger; II, medium danger; III, low danger. It is not assigned to Classes 1, 2, 5.2, 6.2 and 7 or to self-reactive substances of Class 4.1.
ADR 2025, 2.1.1.3. · Read more →
What is the ADR transport document?
The transport document accompanies the load and gives, for each dangerous good, the UN number preceded by the letters «UN», the proper shipping name and the other particulars listed in 5.4.1.1.1.
ADR 2025, 5.4.1.1.1.
What are the instructions in writing?
The instructions in writing are the accident and emergency guide that must be carried in the vehicle cab, within reach of the crew. The carrier provides them before the journey in languages each crew member can read and understand.
ADR 2025, 5.4.3.1 and 5.4.3.2.
Labels, marks and plates
What is a hazard label?
A hazard label is the label affixed to a package as required by column (5) of Table A. Its upper half carries the symbol and its lower half the class number, or the figure 4 for Classes 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 and the figure 6 for Classes 6.1 and 6.2.
ADR 2025, 5.2.2.1.1 and 5.2.2.2. · Read more →
What is a placard?
Placards are hazard labels in plate form fixed to the outside of vehicles, containers, tanks and bulk containers. They correspond to the labels required in column (5) and, where appropriate, column (6) of Table A.
ADR 2025, 5.3.1.1.1. · Read more →
What is a Kemler code?
A Kemler code, officially the hazard identification number, is the two- or three-figure number in the top half of the orange plate. Each figure signals a hazard, a doubled figure intensifies it, and an X in front warns that the substance reacts dangerously with water.
ADR 2025, 5.3.2.2.2 and 5.3.2.3.1. · Read more →
What is the orange plate?
The orange plate is the reflectorized rectangular plate, 40 × 30 cm with a 15 mm black border, that transport units carrying dangerous goods display front and rear. On tanks and bulk loads it also carries the hazard identification number and the UN number.
ADR 2025, 5.3.2.1.1, 5.3.2.1.2, 5.3.2.1.4 and 5.3.2.2.1. · Read more →
What is the lithium battery mark?
The battery mark is a rectangle or square with hatched edging, at least 100 × 100 mm, showing the UN number preceded by «UN»: UN 3090 or UN 3480, or UN 3091 or UN 3481 when the batteries are contained in or packed with equipment. It goes on packages prepared under special provisions 188 or 400.
ADR 2025, 5.2.1.9.1 and 5.2.1.9.2. · Read more →
What is the Class 9A label?
Label 9A is the Class 9 label variant that Table A requires for lithium batteries, such as UN3480 and UN3481. Its upper half shows only the seven black vertical stripes and its lower half a group of batteries, one broken and emitting flame, above the figure 9.
ADR 2025, 5.2.2.2 (model No. 9A) and Table A, column (5). · Read more →
When is the environmentally hazardous substance mark required?
It goes on packages containing environmentally hazardous substances meeting the criteria of 2.2.9.1.10, next to the other marks required by 5.2.1.1. It is not required for single or inner packagings holding 5 l or less of liquid or 5 kg net or less of solid.
ADR 2025, 5.2.1.8.1 and 5.2.1.8.2. · Read more →
Exemptions
What is the 1.1.3.6 exemption?
The 1.1.3.6 exemption is a partial exemption for small loads per transport unit: if each quantity multiplied by its category factor (×50, or ×20 for note a; ×3; ×1) adds up to 1000 or less, orange plates and the driver's ADR certificate are not required.
ADR 2025, 1.1.3.6.3 and 1.1.3.6.4. · Read more →
What is a transport category?
A transport category is a number from 0 to 4 that Table A gives each substance and that sets how much may travel under 1.1.3.6: maximum per transport unit 0 none, 1 20, 2 333, 3 1000 and 4 unlimited.
ADR 2025, 1.1.3.6.3. · Read more →
What are Limited Quantities (LQ)?
Limited Quantities is the chapter 3.4 exemption for goods in small inner packagings, up to the column (7a) limit of Table A, in packages of no more than 30 kg gross bearing the LQ mark.
ADR 2025, 3.4.1 and 3.4.2. · Read more →
What does the LQ mark look like?
The LQ mark is a square set at 45° whose top and bottom portions and border are black, with a white centre, at least 100 × 100 mm. For air it may carry a «Y» in the centre.
ADR 2025, 3.4.7.1 and 3.4.8.1. · Read more →
What are Excepted Quantities (EQ)?
Excepted Quantities is the chapter 3.5 exemption for very small amounts: the column (7b) code, E1 to E5, sets 1 or 30 g/ml per inner packaging and 300 to 1000 per outer packaging. E0 means not permitted.
ADR 2025, 3.5.1.2. · Read more →
What does the EQ mark look like?
The EQ mark is a square with a hatched border, black or red on white, at least 100 × 100 mm, showing the label number from column (5) and, if not shown elsewhere, the name of the consignor or consignee.
ADR 2025, 3.5.4.2. · Read more →