I’m going through the Dangerous Goods Handbook by the NDGTC and I came across the section on when dangerous goods of different transport categories are carried in the same vehicle. It doesn’t make much sense to me. It states that ‘the sum of the different transport categories when multiplied and added together are fully in scope if they exceed 1000.’ Could somebody explain it to me? Maybe Diesel Dave is around? Thanks. Here’s the page it comes from (page 
:
Mooping:
I’m going through the Dangerous Goods Handbook by the NDGTC and I came across the section on when dangerous goods of different transport categories are carried in the same vehicle. It doesn’t make much sense to me. It states that ‘the sum of the different transport categories when multiplied and added together are fully in scope if they exceed 1000.’ Could somebody explain it to me? Maybe Diesel Dave is around? Thanks. Here’s the page it comes from (page
The first part of this is is the threshold limit
Category 0 any amount will be subject to regulations
Category 1 limit is 20 litres or kg’s
Category 2 limit is 333 litres or kg’s
Category 3 limit is 1000 litres or kg’s
So…
Lets say you have 10kg of category 1 material
added to that 100kg of catergory 2
and finally 150 kg of category 3
you multiply the number of kilos/litres in category 1 by 50…so 1050 = 500
you multiply the number of kilos/litres in category 2 by 3…so 1003 = 300
and the same for category 3, but this time it’s multiplied by 1…so 150*1 = 150
add the totals together 500 + 300 + 150 = 950, this load would not be subject to regulations
but if you had 20kg of category 1 and 20kg of category 2 …
20 * 50 = 1000
20 * 3 = 60
That gives a total of 1060 which is over the limit so it would be subject to regulations
I hope this makes sense.
noisycarl:
The first part of this is is the threshold limit
Category 0 any amount will be subject to regulations
Category 1 limit is 20 litres or kg’s
Category 2 limit is 333 litres or kg’s
Category 3 limit is 1000 litres or kg’sSo…
Lets say you have 10kg of category 1 material
added to that 100kg of catergory 2
and finally 150 kg of category 3you multiply the number of kilos/litres in category 1 by 50…so 1050 = 500
you multiply the number of kilos/litres in category 2 by 3…so 1003 = 300
and the same for category 3, but this time it’s multiplied by 1…so 150*1 = 150add the totals together 500 + 300 + 150 = 950, this load would not be subject to regulations
but if you had 20kg of category 1 and 20kg of category 2 …
20 * 50 = 1000
20 * 3 = 60
That gives a total of 1060 which is over the limit so it would be subject to regulationsI hope this makes sense.
Thank you very much. It makes perfect sense.
Could you tell me…if someone carries below the threshold on their vehicle and then the load is not subject to regulations am I right in saying that the driver then doesn’t need an ADR licence either?
On the page you uploaded, the first paragraph tells you what is required, it says ‘no driver training certificate’ is required, however general awareness training is! So you don’t need an ADR certificate but you should have had some form of awareness training, as to what that is…■■?
I’ve only just done my ADR so a lot of it is still fresh, but please don’t take any of my replies as ‘fact’ I have seen some of the replies Diesel Dave has given and he is a much better bet than me for answers in this area.
Let’s hope Diesel Dave gets back and clarifies it all.
noisycarl:
On the page you uploaded, the first paragraph tells you what is required, it says ‘no driver training certificate’ is required, however general awareness training is! So you don’t need an ADR certificate but you should have had some form of awareness training, as to what that is…■■?
Hi noisycarl,
It’s no mystery really… it’s written in ADR. 
You probably saw the ADR books when you did your course, they’re about 2.5ins thick so not easily missed!!
The good part of all this is that the parts that actually affect an employed vehicle driver are only a few paragraphs dotted about within the 2.5ins thickness.
The question asked by the OP falls into the category of not really relevant to an employed driver, because that responsibility falls to the carrier ( = the owner of the vehicle.)
noisycarl:
I’ve only just done my ADR so a lot of it is still fresh, but please don’t take any of my replies as ‘fact’ I have seen some of the replies Diesel Dave has given and he is a much better bet than me for answers in this area.
Let’s hope Diesel Dave gets back and clarifies it all.
From your answers above, I’d say that you have an above average grasp of it if you don’t mind me saying so. 
Mooping:
I’m going through the Dangerous Goods Handbook by the NDGTC and I came across the section on when dangerous goods of different transport categories are carried in the same vehicle. It doesn’t make much sense to me. It states that ‘the sum of the different transport categories when multiplied and added together are fully in scope if they exceed 1000.’ Could somebody explain it to me? Maybe Diesel Dave is around? Thanks. Here’s the page it comes from (page
Hi Mooping,
The responsibility for this rests with the carrier ( = the vehicle owner/operator) because the page you’re looking at decides whether (or not) a load is fully subject to some/all applicable rules in ADR.
As already (very well) explained above, sometimes you can be carrying dangerous goods without application of the full weight of all the rules in ADR, including the need for orange plates and an ADR card.
The calculation of the sum of the Transport Categories (and many other aspects of what applies and when) is for the carrier to perform, and so doesn’t form part of an employed driver’s responsibilities.
For ADR exam purposes, it’s enough for a driver to understand and remember that ADR Transport Categories have NO connection to the UN Class of dangerous goods ( classes = type/kind of danger,) but ADR Transport Categories are very similar to Packing Groups in that they indicate the severity of danger.
In the bigger picture, there are Regs governing the carriage of dangerous goods by the various modes of transport… Sea (IMDG), Air (ICAO/IATA), Rail (RID) and Road (ADR.)
All four sets of Regs have the notions of 9 Classes and 3 Packing Groups and regulate just about ALL dangerous goods right from the off, but only ADR has the additional notion of Transport Categories, which give us ‘freebie’ amounts, but this only applies by Road.
The table on the previous page to the one in your pic gives the load limits (in the column on the right) for each of the five ADR Transport Categories. That table covers every dangerous substance and dangerous article, including any possible chemical mixture or solution imaginable, so you’d be right to think that it’s tricky!!
It’s a good job it’s somebody else’s problem eh??
Hi Diesel Dave
Just glad I wasn’t talking utter rubbish like I normally do 
noisycarl:
Hi Diesel Dave
Just glad I wasn’t talking utter rubbish like I normally do
No mate, there was no rubbish in it at all.
The info about what constitutes awareness training for non-ADR trained road vehicle drivers is at ADR 8.2.3 and 1.3
ADR 1.3 also covers other non-driving employees such as FLT drivers and office staff etc and is meant to be function specific depending on an employee’s role in an organisation.
Amazing how quick it all goes out of your head
good_friend:
Amazing how quick it all goes out of your head
You’re not far wrong there!!
I’ve noticed that many folk try to be broad based with their knowledge, which works well for most people.
Unfortunately, I’m the original one-trick pony. 
dieseldave:
good_friend:
Amazing how quick it all goes out of your headYou’re not far wrong there!!
I’ve noticed that many folk try to be broad based with their knowledge, which works well for most people.
Unfortunately, I’m the original one-trick pony.
You’re doing yourself a disservice Diesel Dave, in-depth knowledge is always a good thing.
Just on a side note (hopefully I’m not hijacking the thread) ADR 1.3 you say covers non-driving employees etc, is that from the explosives category? I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the course but feel it only just gives you the bare minimum to get by, I personally thought it should go much deeper.
noisycarl:
dieseldave:
good_friend:
Amazing how quick it all goes out of your headYou’re not far wrong there!!
I’ve noticed that many folk try to be broad based with their knowledge, which works well for most people.
Unfortunately, I’m the original one-trick pony.
You’re doing yourself a disservice Diesel Dave, in-depth knowledge is always a good thing.
Just on a side note (hopefully I’m not hijacking the thread) ADR 1.3 you say covers non-driving employees etc, is that from the explosives category? I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the course but feel it only just gives you the bare minimum to get by, I personally thought it should go much deeper.
Hi noisycarl,
The course is designed to meet ADR’s requirements for the training of vehicle drivers who are to carry dangerous goods in excess of the relevant ADR Transport Category load limit.
The ADR books consist of Parts, Chapters, Sections and Subsections, so when it’s written like this: ADR 1.3 means Part 1, Chapter 3.
(We don’t use page numbers for references.)
As an example, the OP’s question on the carriage of dangerous goods in differing ADR transport Categories on the same vehicle at the same time relates to the finer details of ADR 1.1.3.6, which are to be found at ADR 1.1.3.6.4
UN Class and Division 1.3 is indeed one of the explosives classifications, which you wouldn’t have studied on a standard ADR course, because the UN Class 1 module is a specialism that takes one whole day to teach, and has its own separate exam.
You’re right when you say it gives you the bare minimum, but nobody should lose sight of the fact that an ADR course has to cover what ADR says is required to be taught to drivers.
Hi Diesel Dave
So, it’s a bit like passing your class 1, you’ve got the bare minimum, in theory you’re safe to be let out on your own, now go and learn!
On a separate note, I very rarely see any vehicles displaying the category 1 plates, is there much work for this in the UK?
noisycarl:
Hi Diesel Dave
So, it’s a bit like passing your class 1, you’ve got the bare minimum, in theory you’re safe to be let out on your own, now go and learn!
Hi noisycarl,
Nearly!!
Once qualified, a driver is meant to be able to carry, load, secure, segregate, display plates etc according to instructions given by the carrier.
In the UK, the system tends to fall a bit flat because (a lot of) carriers think that they’ve sent the driver to ‘learn the Regs’ which is NOT what an ADR course is designed to do.
ADR says that a carrier (and a consignor) has to have a properly qualified DGSA whose duty it is to ‘monitor’ and ‘advise’, but IMHO enforcement of this is not always forefront in the minds of enforcement officials.
noisycarl:
On a separate note, I very rarely see any vehicles displaying the category 1 plates, is there much work for this in the UK?
For “category 1 plates” do you mean… Class 1 placards?
UN Class 1 has threshold limits just like other dangerous goods, so a lot of them are moved within the ‘freebie’ allowances.
When carrying UN Class1 dangerous goods, once the load threshold limit is exceeded…
Orange plates are required
UN Class1 placards are required
The driver needs UN Class 1 on his ADR card
and (usually) a vehicle built to either EX/II or EX/III spec is required.
The commonest need for drivers holding UN Class 1 on their ADR card are for carrying for firework display companies and for the blasting/quarrying industry.
UN Class 1 something of a specialism, so not every ADR course provider can offer it, and not every ADR instructor can teach it. Due to the lack of uptake, I only do a few of this type of course in a year, which you’d count on one hand.