Can anyone tell me the general gist on ADR regs as my gaffa keep placing more and more small ADR packages on my truck. Taking into account upto 10 dels a day im sure add upto being over the limit for non-adr drivers
He also puts pallets of barrels (4 on a pallet) of flamable and ibc containers labelled flamable.
Sometimes he will give me a trem card stating it is for my information only and to keep it in my back pocket
Is all this legal it sounds bent as hell to me
thanks Phil
Welcome to TruckNet UK phil 
my information papers on this are in my truck but it all depends on the weight, package group and overall weight as to whether you can carry it or not without a haz licence.
i know for a fact that you cannot carry anything in packing group 1 without a licence.
i think group 2 has a maximum of a couple hundred kgs and packing group 3 is 500kgs but i will check it out if i can find the site i used before.
if in doubt though you should ask to speak to the companies dangerous goods safety adviser, if your company does not have a dgsa then you are not allowed to carry hazardous goods in any format and you cannot carry them under someone elses designated dgsa - the dgsa must be registered for your company and they are the ones that are supposed to assess the dangers of carrying substances and ensure the correct procedures are followed.
if you are carrying anything over 500kgs in recepticles of over 5kgs (i think) then you need an adr licence and all of the equipment advised in the trem card - you will also be required to display orange plates - i will check on this for you though to make sure i’m right.
i’ve been unable to find the website where i obtained the information from, the only info i could find was on the gov sites of vosa, hse and dft but they were not specific enough.
if you have concerns regarding this matter then perhaps it is best to contact vosa or hse yourself.
my own opinion on this issue is that it is too difficult for drivers to access relevant regulations when required to obtain a true definition of whether or not they are allowed to carry the so called hazardous non hazardous materials and that the definition should be all hazardous goods if carried on behalf of a client for hire and reward.
this would then ensure that drivers stay within the law - they carry no hazardous if they don’t have the relevant licence etc. with the exception of a camping gas bottle for there own cooker etc. fuel for the vehicle in the tanks provided or in suitable containers where needed (you wouldn’t want to get nicked for taking 40 litres to another driver broken down on the hard shoulder)
anything that the driver has inside the cab of his vehicle for his or her own use (you know some glue for later on and all that (joke 
) plus the cans of hairspray we all need).
you wouldn’t want to lose that elnet look because you can’t carry a large can of mullett maker.
All dangerous goods are in categories 1 2 3 and 4
1 being very dangerous
2 dangerous
3 low danger
4 very low danger
All 4 groups have different rules in what you may carry how and when.
Cat 1 group you may carry up to 20 1 ltr or kg packages without ADR
Cat 2 200 10 ltr or kg packages
Cat 3 500 25 ltr or kg packages
Cat 4 it is an unlimited amount of either.
if you carry a mixture of any of the categories then you must count all as the highest category.
if the packages are smaller than the regulated limit then believe it or not they are no requirements for you to have ADR or follow the ADR regulations regardless of the total amount you are carrying.
As for what is in what group, well that in truth is a clear as mud, unless you have all the right doc’s.
Does anyone know why does he give me a trem card and claim its for information only? is this legal or bent?
In my own opinion, anything that has a diamond or hazardous material classification should not be carried at all unless an adr licence is held. I agree with Johnny, its too easy for any driver to go down the road with complete faith in a money-orientated boss, to lose there licence over the load they are carrying.
Spacemonkeypg:
Does anyone know why does he give me a trem card and claim its for information only? is this legal or bent?
1st of all a trem card is not much use to a driver! the purpose of a trem card is for the emergency services!
Spacemonkeypg:
In my own opinion, anything that has a diamond or hazardous material classification should not be carried at all unless an adr licence is held.
This is a huge black hole because batteries are by they very nature dangerous, but if you needed a adr to carry batteries then all housewife’s would need one as well! so a limit in size was agreed! You as a professional driver can like a housewife move as many small batteries as you can carry without the need for a ADR. Strange I agree but the rules nevertheless!
Spacemonkeypg:
I agree with Johnny, its too easy for any driver to go down the road with complete faith in a money-orientated boss, to lose there licence over the load they are carrying.
quite agree but you will find your boss and any forwarder does have a legal responsibility to ensure the ADR regs are adhered to unlike say overloading which is the sole responsibility of the driver
TC:
Spacemonkeypg:
Does anyone know why does he give me a trem card and claim its for information only? is this legal or bent?1st of all a trem card is not much use to a driver! the purpose of a trem card is for the emergency services!
Spacemonkeypg:
In my own opinion, anything that has a diamond or hazardous material classification should not be carried at all unless an adr licence is held.This is a huge black hole because batteries are by they very nature dangerous, but if you needed a adr to carry batteries then all housewife’s would need one as well! so a limit in size was agreed! You as a professional driver can like a housewife move as many small batteries as you can carry without the need for a ADR. Strange I agree but the rules nevertheless!
Spacemonkeypg:
I agree with Johnny, its too easy for any driver to go down the road with complete faith in a money-orientated boss, to lose there licence over the load they are carrying.quite agree but you will find your boss and any forwarder does have a legal responsibility to ensure the ADR regs are adhered to unlike say overloading which is the sole responsibility of the driver
all quite true tc but how many chancers are there out there running trucks.
we seem to have quite a few posts recently reference the legal side of the tachograph hours, so if operators are prepared to overlook a few drivers hours regulations infringements you can just imagine what they are up to with haz goods that cannot be traced back once they are off the truck and in the customers premises.
only this month in trucking mag a question was asked about the requirements for a dgsa after a van driver (owner driver i think) had been assured by a customer that he was subcontracted to that he was in fact covered by there own dgsa which it turns out is untrue.
each operator that intends to carry haz goods must have their own appointed dgsa.
Welcome to Trucknet Phil, have fun! 
thanks cm
you have to watch managers and especailly frieght forwarders they will try to bury hazardous in your loads.
theres alot to know about carring adr you can carry certain things like bleach cleaners polish shampoo all in limited quanties you know like supermarkets jobs but you couldnt carry an ibc of shampoo ( marine pollutent ) or an ibc of bleach.
with hazardous products you have to keep certain ones apart because if the vapours mix they can become explosive or very toxic. alot of companies dont realise this and just shove everything together.
chances are if your gaffer gives you the trem card you shouldnt be carrying it.
jessicas dad:
chances are if your gaffer gives you the trem card you shouldnt be carrying it.
I agree with you! 1st question I would ask is where did gaffer get the trem card from? If he is producing them himself then I would say you were OK taking the load because he would know about the regs. If it was passed to him by a forwarder then chances are you should be moving the stuff under ADR regs.
TC:
Spacemonkeypg:
This is a huge black hole because batteries are by they very nature dangerous, but if you needed a adr to carry batteries then all housewife’s would need one as well!
TC:
All dangerous goods are in categories 1 2 3 and 41 being very dangerous
2 dangerous
3 low danger
4 very low dangerAll 4 groups have different rules in what you may carry how and when.
Cat 1 group you may carry up to 20 1 ltr or kg packages without ADR
Cat 2 200 10 ltr or kg packages
Cat 3 500 25 ltr or kg packages
Cat 4 it is an unlimited amount of either.
if you carry a mixture of any of the categories then you must count all as the highest category.
if the packages are smaller than the regulated limit then believe it or not they are no requirements for you to have ADR or follow the ADR regulations regardless of the total amount you are carrying.
As for what is in what group, well that in truth is a clear as mud, unless you have all the right doc’s.
welcome back tc,hope i find you well.
Class 1 — Explosives
Class 2 — Compressed gases
Class 3 — Flammable liquids
Class 4.1 — Flammable solids
Class 4.2 — Spontaneously combustible
Class 4.3 — Dangerous when wet
Class 5.1 — Oxidising agents
Class 5.2 — Organic peroxides
Class 6.1 — Toxic
Class 6.2 — Infectious substances
Class 7 — Radioactive
Class 8 — Corrosives
Class 9 — Miscellaneous
Have a read,hope it help’s.
Thanks Jim
Categories and classes are quite diferent