Dangerous Goods by Road
Introduction
In addition to the provisions referred to or given in the tables of this Part, the general requirements of
each Part, Chapter and/or Section are to be observed. These general requirements are not given in the
tables. When a general requirement is contradictory to a special provision, the special provision
prevails.
Proper shipping name
NOTE: For proper shipping names used for the carriage of samples, see 2.1.4.1.
The proper shipping name is that portion of the entry most accurately describing the goods in Table A
in Chapter 3.2, which is shown in upper case characters (plus any numbers, Greek letters, "sec", "tert",
and the letters "m", "n", "o", "p", which form an integral part of the name). An alternative proper
shipping name may be shown in brackets following the main proper shipping name [e.g., ETHANOL
(ETHYL ALCOHOL)]. Portions of an entry appearing in lower case need not be considered as part of
the proper shipping name.
When conjunctions such as "and" or "or" are in lower case or when segments of the name are
punctuated by commas, the entire name of the entry need not necessarily be shown in the transport
document or package marks. This is the case particularly when a combination of several distinct
entries are listed under a single UN Number. Examples illustrating the selection of the proper shipping
name for such entries are:
(a) UN 1057 LIGHTERS or LIGHTER REFILLS - The proper shipping name is the most
appropriate of the following combinations:
LIGHTERS
LIGHTER REFILLS;
(b) UN 2793 FERROUS METAL BORINGS, SHAVINGS, TURNINGS or CUTTINGS in a form
liable to self-heating. The proper shipping name is the most appropriate of the following
combinations:
FERROUS METAL BORINGS
FERROUS METAL SHAVINGS
FERROUS METAL TURNINGS
FERROUS METAL CUTTINGS.
Proper shipping names may be used in the singular or plural as appropriate. In addition, when
qualifying words are used as part of the proper shipping name, their sequence on documentation or
package marks is optional. For instance, "DIMETHYLAMINE AQUEOUS SOLUTION" may
alternatively be shown "AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF DIMETHYLAMINE". Commercial or military
names for goods of Class 1 which contain the proper shipping name supplemented by additional
descriptive text may be used.
Many substances have an entry for both the liquid and solid state (see definitions for liquid and solid
in 1.2.1), or for the solid and solution. These are allocated separate UN numbers which are not
necessarily adjacent to each other1.
1 Details are provided in the alphabetical index (Table B of Chapter 3.2), e.g.:
NITROXYLENES, LIQUID 6.1 1665;
NITROXYLENES, SOLID 6.1 3447.
Unless it is already included in capital letters in the name indicated in Table A in Chapter 3.2, the
qualifying word "MOLTEN" shall be added as part of the proper shipping name when a substance,
which is a solid in accordance with the definition in 1.2.1, is offered for carriage in the molten state
(e.g. ALKYLPHENOL, SOLID, N.O.S., MOLTEN).
Except for self-reactive substances and organic peroxides and unless it is already included in capital
letters in the name indicated in Column (2) of Table A of Chapter 3.2, the word "STABILIZED" shall
be added as part of the proper shipping name of a substance which without stabilization would be
forbidden from carriage in accordance with paragraphs 2.2.X.2 due to it being liable to dangerously
react under conditions normally encountered in carriage (e.g.: "TOXIC LIQUID, ORGANIC, N.O.S.,
STABILIZED").
When temperature control is used to stabilize such substances to prevent the development of any
dangerous excess pressure, or the evolution of excessive heat, or when chemical stabilization is used
in combination with temperature control, then:
(a) For liquids and solids where the SAPT2 (measured without or with inhibitor, when chemical
stabilization is applied) is less than or equal to that prescribed in 2.2.41.1.21, the provisions of
2.2.41.1.17, special provision 386 of Chapter 3.3, special provision V8 of Chapter 7.2, special
provision S4 of Chapter 8.5 and the requirements of Chapter 9.6 apply except that the term
"SADT" as used in these paragraphs is understood to include also "SAPT" when the substance
concerned reacts by polymerization;
(b) For gases: the conditions of carriage shall be approved by the competent authority.
Hydrates may be carried under the proper shipping name for the anhydrous substance.
Generic or "not otherwise specified" (N.O.S.) names
Generic and "not otherwise specified" proper shipping names that are assigned to special provision
274 or 318 in Column (6) of Table A in Chapter 3.2 shall be supplemented with the technical name of
the goods unless a national law or international convention prohibits its disclosure if it is a controlled
substance. For explosives of Class 1, the dangerous goods description may be supplemented by
additional descriptive text to indicate commercial or military names. Technical names shall be entered
in brackets immediately following the proper shipping name. An appropriate modifier, such as
"contains" or "containing" or other qualifying words such as "mixture", "solution", etc. and the
percentage of the technical constituent may also be used. For example: "UN 1993 FLAMMABLE
LIQUID, N.O.S. (CONTAINS XYLENE AND BENZENE), 3, II".
The technical name shall be a recognized chemical name or biological name, or other name currently
used in scientific and technical handbooks, journals and texts. Trade names shall not be used for this
purpose. In the case of pesticides, only ISO common name(s), other name(s) in the World Health
Organization (WHO) Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard and Guidelines to
Classification, or the name(s) of the active substance(s) may be used.
When a mixture of dangerous goods is described by one of the "N.O.S." or "generic" entries to which
special provision 274 has been allocated in Column (6) of Table A in Chapter 3.2, not more than the
two constituents which most predominantly contribute to the hazard or hazards of a mixture need to
be shown, excluding controlled substances when their disclosure is prohibited by national law or
international convention. If a package containing a mixture is labelled with any subsidiary risk label,
one of the two technical names shown in parentheses shall be the name of the constituent which
compels the use of the subsidiary risk label.
NOTE: See 5.4.1.2.2.
Examples illustrating the selection of the proper shipping name supplemented with the technical name
of goods for such N.O.S. entries are:
UN 2902 PESTICIDE, LIQUID, TOXIC, N.O.S. (drazoxolon);
UN 3394 ORGANOMETALLIC SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, PYROPHORIC, WATERREACTIVE
(trimethylgallium).
2 For the definition of self-accelerating polymerization temperature (SAPT), see 1.2.1.
Solutions or mixtures
NOTE: Where a substance is specifically mentioned by name in Table A of Chapter 3.2, it shall be
identified in carriage by the proper shipping name in Column (2) of Table A of Chapter 3.2. Such
substances may contain technical impurities (for example those deriving from the production process)
or additives for stability or other purposes that do not affect its classification. However, a substance
mentioned by name containing technical impurities or additives for stability or other purposes
affecting its classification shall be considered a solution or mixture (see 2.1.3.3).