CLASSIFICATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code was developed as a uniform international code for
the transport of dangerous goods by sea covering such matters as packing, container traffic and stowage, with
particular reference to the segregation of incompatible substances.
The Carriage of dangerous goods and marine pollutants in sea-going ships is respectively regulated in the
International Convention for the Safety of the Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the International Convention for the
Prevention of pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
Relevant parts of both SOLAS and MARPOL have been worked out in great detail and are included in the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, thus making this Code the legal instrument for maritime
transport of dangerous goods and marine pollutants. As of 1st January 2004, the IMDG Code will become a
mandatory requirement.
For all modes of transport (sea, air, rail, road and inland waterways) the classification (grouping) of dangerous
goods, by type of risk involved, has been drawn up by the UNITED NATIONS Committee of Experts on the
Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN).
Class 1:Explosives

Subclass 1.1: Explosives with a mass explosion hazard

C onsists of e x plosive s that have a m ass e x plosion hazard. A m ass e x plosion is one which affe cts alm ost
the e ntire load instantane ously.

Subclass 1.2: Explosives with a severe projection hazard

C onsists of e x plosive s that have a proje ction hazard but not a m ass e x plosion hazard.

Subclass 1.3: Explosives with a fire

C onsists of e x plosive s that have a fire hazard and e ithe r a m inor blast hazard or a m inor proje ction hazard
or both but not a m ass e x plosion hazard.

Subclass 1.4: Minor fire or projection hazard

C onsists of e x plosive s that pre se nt a m inor e x plosion hazard. The e x plosive e ffe cts are large ly confine d to
the pack age and no proje ction of fragm e nts of appre ciable size or range is to be e x pe cte d. An e x te rnal
fire m ust not cause virtually instantane ous e x plosion of alm ost the e ntire conte nts of the pack age .

Subclass 1.5: A n insensitive substance with a mass explosion hazard

C onsists of ve ry inse nsitive e x plosive s with a m ass e x plosion hazard (e x plosion sim ilar to 1.1). This
division is com prise d of substance s which have a m ass e x plosion hazard but are so inse nsitive that the re
is ve ry little probability of initiation or of transition from burning to de tonation unde r norm al conditions of
transport.

Subclass 1.6: Extremely insensitive articles

C onsists of e x tre m e ly inse nsitive article s which do not have a m ass e x plosive hazard. This division is
com prise d of article s which contain only e x tre m e ly inse nsitive de tonating substance s and which
de m onstrate a ne gligible probability of accide ntal initiation or propagation.

Class 2 :Gases

Subclass 2.1: Flammable Gas

Gase s which ignite on contact with an ignition source , such as ace tyle ne and hydroge n. Flam m able gas gas
m e ans any m ate rial which is ignitable at 101.3 k Pa (14.7 psi) whe n in a m ix ture of 13 pe rce nt or le ss by
volum e with air, or has a flam m able range at 101.3 k Pa (14.7 psi) with air of at le ast 12 pe rce nt
re gardle ss of the lowe r lim it.

Subclass 2.2: Non-Flammable Gases

Gase s which are ne ithe r flam m able nor poisonous. Include s the cryoge nic gase s/liquids (te m pe rature s of
be low -100C ) use d for cryopre se rvation and rock e t fue ls. This division include s com pre sse d gas, lique fie d
gas, pre ssurize d cryoge nic gas, com pre sse d gas in solution, asphyx iant gas and ox idizing gas. A nonflam m able , nonpoisonous com pre sse d gas m e ans any m ate rial which e x e rts in the pack aging an absolute
pre ssure of 280 k Pa (40.6 psia) or gre ate r at 20C (68F), and doe s not m e e t the de finition of Division 2.1
or 2.3.

Subclass 2.3: Poisonous Gases

Gase s liable to cause de ath or se rious injury to hum an he alth if inhale d. Gas poisonous by inhalation
m e ans a m ate rial which is a gas at 20C or le ss and a pre ssure of 101.3 k Pa (a m ate rial which has a
boiling point of 20C or le ss at 101.3k Pa (14.7 psi)) which is k nown to be so tox ic to hum ans as to pose a
hazard to he alth during transportation, or in the abse nce f ade quate data on hum an tox icity, is pre sum e d
to be tox ic to hum ans be cause whe n te ste d on laboratory anim als it has an LC 50 value of not m ore than
5000 m l/m 3.

Class 3:Flammable Liquids

A flam m able liquid m e ans a liquid which m ay catch fire e asily or any m ix ture having one or m ore
com pone nts whith any flash point. As e x am ple : ace tone , die se l, gasoline , k e rose ne , oil e tc. The re is
strongly re com e nde d for transportation at or above its flash point in a bulk pack aging. The re are thre e
m ain groups of flam m able liquid.
1. Low flash point - liquids with flash point below -18C
2. Intermediate flash point - liquids with flash point from -18C. up to +23C
3.

High flash point group - liquids with flash point from +23C

Class 4:Flammable solids or substances

Subclass 4.1: Flammable solids
Solid substance s that are e asily ignite d. Se lf-re active m ate rials, which are the rm ally unstable and that can
unde rgo a strongly e x othe rm ic de com position e ve n without participation of air. R e adily com bustible solids
that can cause a fire through friction and show a burning rate faste r than 2.2 m m (0.087 inche s) pe r
se cond, or m e tal powde rs that can be ignite d and re act ove r the whole le ngth of a sam ple in 10 m inute s or
le ss.

Subclass 4.2: Spontaneously combustible solids

Solid substance s that ignite spontane ously. Spontane ously com bustible m ate rial is a pyrophoric m ate rial,
which is a liquid or solid that can ignite within five m inute s afte r com ing in contact with air or a se lf-he ating
m ate rial that whe n in contact with air and without an e ne rgy supply is liable to se lf-he at.

Subclass 4.3: Dangerous when wet

Solid substance s that e m it a flam m able gas whe n we t. Dange rous whe n we t m ate rial is a m ate rial that
whe n it m ak e s contact with wate r is liable to be com e spontane ously flam m able or give off flam m able or
tox ic gas at a rate gre ate r than 1 L pe r k ilogram of the m ate rial pe r hour.

Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides

Subclass 5.1: Oxidizing agent

O x idizing age nt m e ans a m ate rial that m ay, ge ne rally by yie lding ox yge n, cause or e nhance the
com bustion of othe r m ate rials.

Subclass 5.2: Organic peroxide oxidizing agent

O rganic pe rox ide m e ans any organic com pound containing ox yge n in the bivale nt structure and which m ay
be conside re d a de rivative of hydroge n pe rox ide , whe re one or m ore of the hydroge n atom s have be e n
re place d by organic radicals.

Class 6:Toxic and infectious substances

Subclass 6.1: Poison

Tox ic substance s which are able to cause de ath or se rious hazard to hum ans he alth during transportation.

Subclass 6.2: Biohazard

Infe ctious Substance m ate rial is k nown to contain or suspe cte d of containing a pathoge n. Infe ctious
substance s are substance s which are k nown or are re asonably e x pe cte d to contain pathoge ns. Pathoge ns
are de fine d as m icro-organism s (including bacte ria, viruse s, rick e ttsiae , parasite s, fungi) and othe r age nts
such as prions, which can cause dise ase in hum ans or anim als.

Class 7:Radioactive substances

Radioactive
R adioactive substance s com prise substance s or a com bination of substance s which e m it ionizing radiation

Class 8:Corrosive substances

Corrosive
C orrosive m ate rials m e ans a liquid or solid that cause s full thick ne ss de struction of hum an sk in at the site
of contact within a spe cifie d pe riod of tim e . A liquid that has a se ve re corrosion rate on ste e l or alum inum
is also a corrosive m ate rial.

Class 9:Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles

Miscellaneous
A m ate rial which pre se nts a hazard during transportation but which doe s not m e e t the de finition of any
othe r hazard class. This class include s: any m ate rial which has an ane sthe tic, nox ious or othe r sim ilar
prope rty which could cause e x tre m e annoyance or discom fort to a flight cre w m e m be r so as to pre ve nt the
corre ct pe rform ance of assigne d dutie s or m ate rial for an e le vate d te m pe rature m ate rial, a hazardous
substance , a hazardous waste , or a m arine pollutant.