Transportation of hazardous and special cargo – chemical substances, batteries, and ADR materials – requires special precautions. Such cargo cannot be shipped if the vehicle is not ADR-compliant or if the carrier lacks proper documentation about the goods’ origin, hazard class, and quantity. All these aspects can be addressed by organizing a pre-shipment survey inspection.
What Constitutes Hazardous Goods
The “European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road” (ADR), ratified by 48 countries, lists over 3,000 items that may pose threats to humans and the environment. Their transportation requires special permits in properly marked vehicles with trained drivers. Speed limits are determined during transportation terms negotiation.
The ADR classification includes:
- Explosives
- Gases (flammable/non-flammable, toxic/non-toxic)
- Flammable liquids and substances
- Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides
- Toxic substances and infectious materials
- Radioactive materials
- Corrosive substances
- Other hazardous items
Each class has subcategories and hazard levels. Improper transportation may lead to fires, explosions, or leaks of toxic, biological or radioactive substances, hence strict requirements apply. Hazardous goods transportation requires:
- Special transport permits
- Vehicle certification
- Driver training documentation
- Transportation guidelines
- Waybill with hazard markings
- Shipping documents
- Transport contract
Infectious substances must be shipped in sealed, isolated containers. All chemicals require completely leak-proof packaging.
Purpose of Survey Inspection
The independent examination aims to obtain reliable and accurate information about cargo origin, type, characteristics and hazardous properties. Special attention is given to substances with combined hazards – such as radioactive liquids or containers holding multiple substances simultaneously. Survey inspections are also essential for transporting perishable goods (food, medicines), oversized/heavy items (industrial equipment), and high-value/fragile cargo (electronics, glass, jewelry).
Surveyors verify container integrity and safety, proper documentation, and packaging compliance. Batteries and other potentially hazardous items must be shipped in durable, sealed containers.
Inspection Stages
- Transport preparation: Review documentation, determine hazard class, and establish safety measures.
- Cargo inspection: Verify identification, markings and packaging compliance. Check vehicle suitability. Document any damage, leaks or contamination. Non-compliant items must be isolated and noted in the survey report.
- Seal and fastening verification: Inspect tanks, containers and securing mechanisms – critical for bulk/large items.
- Loading/unloading supervision: Monitor handling procedures with photo/video documentation.
When necessary, surveyors conduct laboratory sampling (chemical/biological analysis), environmental monitoring (pressure, humidity, temperature), and emergency equipment checks (alarms, fire extinguishers).
Findings are documented in reports detailing cargo/vehicle condition, handling procedures, and damage causes. These reports serve as legal evidence in disputes (e.g., insurance claims for packaging-related damage).
Our company has performed inspections since 2009 across 26 countries. We provide ADR compliance verification, tally services, and damage-free transport solutions. Contact us today for expert advice on hazardous goods logistics!
