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What is ADR?

What is ADR?

ADR is an abbreviation for "Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises dangereuses par route"
This international agreement was adopted by the UN more than 50 years ago. The purpose of the document is to establish uniform rules for the transportation of dangerous goods on the territories of European countries on special road transport.
For the transportation of dangerous goods, it is necessary to comply with strict safety requirements established by law. The carrier must have the appropriate qualifications, and the vehicle and cargo must meet certain requirements.
Russia has its own such regulations, called POGAT - Transportation of Dangerous Goods by Road. Dangerous goods are substances that can cause harm to the driver, other people and the environment. Logistics companies transporting explosive, radioactive, poisonous and other hazardous substances must strictly follow the rules of the agreement. In case of violation of the requirements, local or large-scale environmental disasters may occur, causing harm to both nature and human health.

The main requirements of ADR 2022:

- Availability of special protected containers (tanks) for transportation of substances according to their hazard class
- Application of hazard class markings on transport
- Fulfillment of requirements for technical equipment of transportation
- Compliance with safety requirements by responsible persons
Drivers and persons accompanying dangerous goods must have an ADR certificate. Without this document, transportation of substances is strictly prohibited. To obtain the document, it is necessary to take courses at educational institutions accredited by the Ministry of Transport. Training can take from 3 to 8 days depending on the category of cargo being transported. At the end of the course, drivers are certified and receive a permit. The ADR certificate is valid for 5 years.
Without an ADR certificate, it is prohibited to drive a vehicle to transport HGVs.

Hazardous substances are divided into the following classes:

1 - Explosive substances and articles (ammunition, pyrotechnics, explosives, gunpowder).
2 - Gases (oxygen, propane, nitrogen, ammonia, chlorine)
3 - Flammable liquids (gasoline, kerosene, petroleum, alcohol, oil)
4 - Flammable solids (sulfur, aluminum, coal, potassium, sodium, paper)
5 - Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides (peroxide, ammonium, nitrates, ammonium nitrate fertilizers)
6 - Toxic and infectious substances (drugs, cyanides, pesticides, arsenic)
7 - Radioactive materials (uranium, radioactive and nuclear materials)
8 - Corrosive substances (mercury, acid, alkali, paints)
9 - Other hazardous substances and products (batteries, motors, asbestos)
ADR classes 2023
ADR classes
The list of ADR hazardous substances includes more than 3,000 elements, materials and articles. In accordance with the agreement, the carrier precisely determines the category of hazard, prepares the required accompanying documentation and creates all necessary conditions for the transportation of the cargo. Classification of hazardous substances allows to accurately determine the optimal capacity for transportation of materials and products.
The fleet management is obliged to put a special marking on the transport - a diamond-shaped pattern, where the type of substance or material is indicated at the top and the ADR class number at the bottom. The marking sign must be visible from afar and its height cannot be less than 15 centimeters.

Requirements for the equipment of transport:

- creation of additional protection to prevent containers and receptacles from falling out while driving
- additional protection of the fuel tank and placement of the battery in a ventilated space
- marking of the vehicle and installation of flashing beacons
- placement of the muffler in the front part of the vehicle
- additional insulation of electrical wiring
- installation of GLONASS/GPS satellite navigation systems
The European agreement is not just recommendations for the transportation of dangerous goods, but strict rules that must be followed. Compliance with ADR requirements will save a trucking company from hefty fines.
ADR

ADR equipment

One of the requirements of the road transportation of dangerous goods (ADR) is the mandatory presence of a speed limiting device, established by the legislation of the Russian Federation, for some types of road transport. First of all, the speed limiting device on such vehicles is necessary to reduce the number of accidents and transportation safety.
The speed limiter is installed on the basis of an international agreement developed on the recommendation of the UN. It lists all the markings for dangerous goods and chemical compounds. The final fixation and introduction of devices is approved by the Technical Regulations.

When organizing the transportation of dangerous goods, it is necessary to perform the following steps:

- obtaining a license for the transportation of a substance of a certain class of danger
- Conclusion of a contract for transportation
- Preparation of transport taking into account the class of dangerous goods
- Calculation of the optimal transportation route
- Creation of a system for informing about dangerous transportation
- Connection of satellite navigation systems
- Instruction on the rules of handling used containers
- Instruction on personnel actions in case of emergency situations