In the second SITPRO News column answering recent questions from the Trade Procedures Helpdesk, Aileen Prendergast explains the Dangerous Goods Note.
Q. I have just been advised by my courier company that I must complete a Dangerous Goods Note as the items I wish to send are of a hazardous nature. I have been sending these goods by courier for the past ten years and have never had to complete such a declaration. Why do I have to do one now? How do I complete it?
A. On 10 May 2004 the rules concerning the domestic movement of dangerous goods changed to bring them into line with the requirements for international road movements (ADR). Under ADR the regulations governing Limited Quantities are much stricter and as a consequence a dangerous goods declaration is now required for domestic movements of quantities that were previously exempt. You should now complete a dangerous goods declaration for these transactions, just as you would for an international movement.
The standard declaration for UK traders shipping dangerous goods abroad by surface transport is the SITPRO Dangerous Goods Note (DGN). It is in effect 3 documents in one as it is the shipping instruction, the dangerous goods declaration and the Packing Certificate. The DGN is completed and signed by the consignor and is also signed by the person responsible for packing and loading the goods into the container or onto the vehicle. The DGN is one of the most important documents in the international movement of goods. Therefore to complete a DGN you must have a thorough understanding of the UN classification of the goods, the nature of the hazard and the packing requirements. These are described in the modal regulations for surface movements, which are the ADR (road), RID (rail), and IMDG (sea). Movements by air are governed by the ICAO code and require completion of the IATA Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods.
The SITPRO Dangerous Goods Note can be purchased from our licensed printers and distributors, a list of which is available on our website (at www.sitpro.org.uk/documents/). Also on our website is the Dangerous Goods Note Completion Guide, which is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to completing this document.
If you need help with a trade procedures query, call Aileen at the SITPRO Helpdesk on
020 7215 8150 or email aileen.prendergast@sitpro.org.uk 
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Return to SITPRO News: Issue 50, April/May 2004