Most goods consigned for transport pose no danger to those involved in transporting them, to members of the public, or to the environment. However, some goods are potentially hazardous – they might, for example, be poisonous to humans and/or the environment, explosive, flammable or radioactive.

The use (and therefore transport) of dangerous goods throughout the world is necessary to maintain both quality of life and sustainable development.

Most countries have domestic Regulations which cover the transport of dangerous goods. The UK’s domestic Regulations are based upon the Recommendations of a United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (the UN Model Regulations); these are regularly updated to take account of new developments.

International agreements control the transport of dangerous goods across international borders. Each mode of transport – inland waterways, sea, air, road and rail – has different safety requirements and therefore its own international convention or code based on the UN Model Regulations.

The safe carriage of dangerous goods is one aspect of overall transport safety for each mode of transport. Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the requirements of domestic regulations lies with agencies dealing with the wider aspects of marine safety, aircraft safety, road safety and rail safety.

• International carriage of dangerous goods
• UN Model Regulations