Meaning
Annexes A and B of the European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road establish packaging specifications and vehicle safety rules for hazardous cargo. Transporting adr dangerous goods requires strict compliance with UN classification criteria, specifically UN 3480 for standalone lithium ion batteries and UN 3481 for batteries contained in equipment. The regulations mandate certified packaging, driver training, hazardous goods placards and standardized transport documentation.
Provisions apply from factory departure to site delivery, halting transport if packaging integrity or documentation is missing.
Transport Classification
Hazardous material assignment determines the required packaging group and transport conditions based on cell chemistry and state of charge. Shipping adr dangerous goods under commercial contracts obligates logistics providers to verify state-of-charge limits, which standard rules restrict to thirty percent for air freight and recommend for road transit. Carrier liabilities increase when shipping non-compliant or damaged goods.
Exemption Threshold
Threshold volume provisions permit simplified carriage conditions under small quantity exemptions. Below specific total mass thresholds, drivers carrying adr dangerous goods are exempt from full hazard licensing and orange-plate vehicle marking requirements. That exemption ceases when total cargo mass exceeds designated statutory thresholds.
Compliance Audit
Document verification at logistics hubs prevents regulatory fines and vehicle impoundment. Safety inspection checklists validate outer box UN specification codes and proper danger labels before vehicle departure.
