When dangerous goods are being transported, they need a document that describes what they are. This is called a shipping document. The purpose of a shipping document is:
- To identify the dangerous goods that are in a vehicle
- To provide vital information when responding to a dangerous goods incident involving the vehicle
- For example, to find out the identity and quantity of all dangerous goods in the vehicle in order to determine how to initiate protective measures
- To provide contact information for dealing with a dangerous good incident/emergency
It also needs to be easy to read and in English or French.
Shipping Document for Ground
There is not a specific form that is used for the shipping document, however the shipping document must have the following information included:
- The shippers or importers name and Canadian address
- The date of the shipment
- 24 hour emergency number preceded by the words “24 hour number”
- A certification statement
The description of the dangerous goods must be on the shipping document as well, the description needs to be in the following order:
- UN number preceded by the letters “UN”
- The proper shipping name and if applicable, the
- technical name in brackets
- The primary class and if applicable, the subsidiary
- class in brackets
- The packing group, if applicable
- The number of packages for each UN number and the net quantity of the dangerous goods
Shipping Document for Air
When shipping dangerous goods by air, you need a shipping document that follows the rules from the ICAO Technical Instructions. This shipping document must have red lines on the left and right sides that point inward. You'll need two original copies of this shipping document with your shipment. Copies made by photocopying or faxing aren't allowed.
The information required to be on the document includes:
- The waybill number of the package(s)
- The page number and number of pages of the shippers declaration
- The shippers name and address
- The receivers name and address
- The type of aircraft for which the shipment has been prepared
- The airports of origin and destination
- The type of shipment, radioactive or nonradioactive
The description of the dangerous goods must be in the following order:
- The UN number preceded by the letters UN
- Proper shipping name
- Primary class and if applicable the subsidiary class in brackets
- The packing group indicated in Roman Numerals
- The number of packages and type of packaging
- The net quantity or mass of dangerous goods
- The packing instruction number
The shipper’s name, the date of the shipment, and a signature of the shipper must be included on the shipping document as well.
Location of Shipping Documents
In case of an emergency involving dangerous goods, it's important for the driver and emergency responders to find the documents fast. The shipping documents must be kept in the vehicle's cab, within reach of the driver. Usually, they're kept in a pouch on the driver's door or seat. When the driver leaves the vehicle, the documents should stay in the pouch or on the driver's seat where anyone entering the cab can easily see them.
If the truck or trailer is parked in a supervised area, the documents should be given to the person in charge of that area. But if the trailer is detached and left in an unsupervised area, the documents must be put in a waterproof pouch that's visible on the outside of the trailer.