Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (SOR/2001-286)

Keeping Shipping Document Information

• 3.11 (1) A consignor must be able to produce a copy of any shipping document

  • (a) for two years after the date the shipping document or an electronic copy of it was prepared or given to a carrier by the consignor;

  • (b) for dangerous goods imported into Canada, for two years after the date the consignor ensured that the carrier, on entry into Canada, had a shipping document or an electronic copy of one; and

  • (c) within 15 days after the day on which the consignor receives a written request from an inspector.

• (2) When dangerous goods are no longer in transport, each carrier who transported the dangerous goods must be able to produce a copy of the shipping document that related to the dangerous goods and was required to be in the possession of that carrier while the dangerous goods were in transport

  • (a) for two years after the date the dangerous goods are no longer in transport; and

  • (b) within 15 days after the day on which the carrier receives a written request from an inspector.

• (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a carrier who transported dangerous goods

  • (a) from a place outside Canada, through Canada to a place outside Canada or for a portion of such transportation; or

  • (b) entirely outside Canada, on board a vessel.

• (4) Subsection (2) does not apply to a carrier who is involved only in handling the dangerous goods, including storing them in the course of transport.

• (5) The shipping documents referred to in this section may be kept as electronic copies.

PART 4Dangerous Goods Marks

Requirements for Dangerous Goods Marks

4.1 A person must not import, offer for transport, handle or transport a means of containment that contains dangerous goods unless each dangerous goods mark required by this Part and illustrated in the appendix to this Part or in Chapter 5.2 or 5.3 of the English or French version of the UN Recommendations is displayed on the means of containment in accordance with this Part.

Voluntary Display of a Placard

4.1.1 When a person transports dangerous goods in or on a road vehicle or railway vehicle and the person voluntarily displays a placard on the vehicle, the following provisions apply:

• (a) section 4.2;

• (b) section 4.6;

• (b.1) section 4.8;

• (c) subsection 4.9(2);

• (d) sections 4.14 to 4.15.1;

• (e) paragraphs 4.15.3(1)(a) and (b); and

• (f) section 4.16.

Misleading Dangerous Goods Marks

• 4.2 (1) As provided for in section 6.1 of the Act, a person must not display a dangerous goods mark on a means of containment or a means of transport if the mark is misleading as to the presence or nature of any danger.

• (2) As provided for in section 6.1 of the Act, a person must not display a mark other than a dangerous goods mark on a means of containment or a means of transport if the other mark is likely to be mistaken for a dangerous goods mark or is misleading as to the presence or nature of any danger.

Display of Dangerous Goods Marks Before Loading or Packing a Large Means of Containment

4.3 A person must not load or pack dangerous goods into a large means of containment for transport unless, immediately before the loading or packing, the large means of containment has displayed on it the dangerous goods marks that will be required when the loading or packing is complete.

Consignor Responsibilities

• 4.4 (1) Before importing dangerous goods or allowing a carrier in Canada to take possession of dangerous goods for transport, the consignor must

  • (a) display or ensure the display of the required dangerous goods marks on each small means of containment that contains the dangerous goods;

  • (b) display or ensure the display of the required dangerous goods marks on each large means of containment that contains the dangerous goods; and

  • (c) provide to the carrier the dangerous goods marks for the dangerous goods that the consignor is importing or offering for transport and that are to be transported in a large means of containment.

• (2) The consignor is not required to provide the dangerous goods marks referred to in paragraph (1)(c) if they

  • (a) are already displayed on the large means of containment; or

  • (b) are not the correct ones to display because of the presence of other dangerous goods in the large means of containment.

Carrier Responsibilities

• 4.5 (1) The carrier of dangerous goods must

  • (a) ensure that the required dangerous goods marks remain displayed on the small means of containment while the dangerous goods are in transport;

  • (b) display the required dangerous goods marks on the large means of containment, unless they are already displayed on it, and ensure that they remain displayed while the dangerous goods are in transport;

  • (c) provide and display, or completely cover or remove, the dangerous goods marks, if the conditions requiring the display of dangerous goods marks change while the dangerous goods are in transport; and

  • (d) in the case of a means of containment in transport that does not contain dangerous goods but that displays any dangerous goods marks,

    • (i) completely cover those dangerous goods marks,

    • (ii) remove those dangerous goods marks, or

    • (iii) flatten the means of containment, if the means of containment is a fibreboard large packaging, fibreboard box, bag, fibreboard IBC or flexible IBC.

• (2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(c) and subparagraph (1)(d)(i), the material used to cover the dangerous goods marks must be durable and weather-resistant and withstand the conditions to which the material is exposed while the means of containment is in transport without substantial detachment or deterioration.

• (3) For greater certainty, a dangerous goods mark is not misleading as to the presence of danger or the nature of any danger if the carrier complies with this section.

Visibility, Legibility and Colour

4.6 Dangerous goods marks must be

• (a) visible, legible and displayed either against a background of contrasting colour or within a border that is a solid or dotted line;

• (b) made of durable and weather-resistant material that will withstand the conditions to which they will be exposed without substantial detachment or deterioration of their colour, symbols, letters, text or numbers; and

• (c) displayed in the colours specified in

  • (i) the appendix to this Part, which colours must conform to the following standards in the PANTONE ® Formula Guide, published by Pantone Inc., 590 Commerce Boulevard, Carlstadt, New Jersey 07072-3098, United States:

    • (A) for blue, PANTONE 285,

    • (B) for green, PANTONE 335,

    • (C) for orange, PANTONE 151,

    • (D) for red, PANTONE 186, and

    • (E) for yellow, PANTONE 109,

  • (ii) Part 172 of 49 CFR, or

  • (iii) Chapters 5.2 and 5.3 of the UN Recommendations.

Labels — Size, Orientation and Text

• 4.7 (1) A label must be square and must be displayed on a means of containment in the same orientation as it appears in the appendix to this Part, relative to the bottom of the means of containment, so that the square is on point if the means of containment is upright.

• (2) Each side of a label must be at least 100 mm in length and have a line running approximately 5 mm inside the edge.

• (3) Despite subsection (2), except for a Class 7 label,

  • (a) each side of a label may be reduced in length by the same amount but must not be reduced to less than 30 mm, if

    • (i) the label is displayed on the shoulder of a cylinder, or

    • (ii) the label would not be visible, because of the shape or size of the means of containment, from the same viewpoint as the other dangerous goods marks required to be displayed on the means of containment by this Part; and

  • (b) each side of a label that must be displayed on a non-refillable UN pressure receptacle may be reduced in length in accordance with ISO 7225, if

    • (i) the label would not be visible from the same viewpoint as all the other dangerous goods marks required to be displayed on the means of containment by this Part, even if the sides of the label were reduced to 30 mm, and

    • (ii) the label would not be visible from that viewpoint because of the shape or size of the receptacle or the mechanisms for securing the receptacle during transport.

• (4) If each side of a label is reduced in length under subsection (3), every element required on that label must be reduced proportionally.

• (5) Except for a Class 7 label and for the Class 9 label specific to lithium batteries, a person may include text on a label that describes the danger that the dangerous goods pose and that is illustrated on that label if

  • (a) the text is located under the symbol or, in the case of a label for Class 1.4, 1.5 or 1.6, under the class number illustrated in the top corner;

  • (b) the text, if it is in a language other than English or French, includes a translation in English or French; and

  • (c) the text and the translation, if any, does not obscure any symbol or other text on the label.

Placards — Size, Orientation and Text

• 4.8 (1) A placard must be square and must be displayed on a means of containment, in the same orientation as it appears in the appendix to this Part, relative to the bottom of the means of containment, so that the square is on point if the means of containment is upright.

• (2) Each side of a placard must be at least 250 mm in length and, except for the DANGER placard and a Class 7 placard, have a line running approximately 12.5 mm inside the edge.

• (3) Each side of a Class 7 placard must have a line running approximately 5 mm inside the edge.

• (4) Despite subsection (2), except for a Class 7 placard, each side of a placard may be reduced in length to not less than 100 mm if the placard would not be visible, because of the shape or size of the means of containment, from the same viewpoint as the other dangerous goods marks required to be displayed on the means of containment by this Part.

• (5) If each side of a placard is reduced in length under subsection (4), every element required on that placard must be reduced proportionally.

• (6) Except for a Class 7 placard, a person may include text on a placard that describes the danger that the dangerous goods pose and that is illustrated on that placard if

  • (a) the text is located under the symbol or, in the case of a placard for Class 1.4, 1.5 or 1.6, under the class number illustrated in the top corner;

  • (b) the text, if it is in a language other than English or French, includes a translation in English or French; and

  • (c) the text and the translation, if any, does not obscure any symbol or other text on the placard.

Removal or Change of Dangerous Goods Marks

• 4.9 (1) If the conditions that require the display of a dangerous goods mark change, the person having the charge, management or control of the means of containment must determine, as a result of the new conditions, whether the dangerous goods mark must be changed, covered or removed.

• (2) The person who neutralizes the contents of the means of containment or who unloads, unpacks, cleans or purges the means of containment must cover or remove the dangerous goods mark when the danger indicated by the dangerous goods mark is no longer present in the means of containment.

• (2.1) For the purposes of subsections (1) and (2), the material used to cover the dangerous goods mark must be durable and weather-resistant and withstand the conditions to which the material is exposed without substantial detachment or deterioration.

• (2.2) Despite subsections (1) and (2), if the means of containment no longer contains dangerous goods, the person may flatten the means of containment, if the means of containment is a fibreboard large packaging, fibreboard box, bag, fibreboard IBC or flexible IBC, instead of changing, covering or removing the dangerous goods mark displayed on it.

• (2.3) For greater certainty, a dangerous goods mark is not misleading as to the presence or nature of any danger if the person complies with this section.

• (3) When the DANGER placard is permitted to be displayed on a large means of containment, a person may continue to display that placard, in place of any other placard, until the large means of containment no longer contains any of the dangerous goods identified by that placard.

Labels on a Small Means of Containment

• 4.10 (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (8), for each of the dangerous goods in transport in a small means of containment, one label must be displayed on the small means of containment for the primary class and one for each subsidiary class, if any.

• (2) A label is not required to be displayed on the small means of containment if the small means of containment is inside another small means of containment that displays the label and that is not opened during loading or unloading or while the dangerous goods are in transport.

• (3) Instead of the labels referred to in subsection (1), the oxidizing gas label may be displayed on the small means of containment if the small means of containment contains any of the following dangerous goods:

  • (a) UN1072, OXYGEN, COMPRESSED;

  • (b) UN1073, OXYGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID;

  • (c) UN3156, COMPRESSED GAS, OXIDIZING, N.O.S.;

  • (d) UN3157, LIQUEFIED GAS, OXIDIZING, N.O.S.

• (4) If the small means of containment contains dangerous goods included in Class 7, the applicable label for Class 7 must be displayed on two opposite sides of the small means of containment, in addition to any subsidiary class labels required under subsection (1).

• (5) If the dangerous goods are included in Class 2 and are contained in a combination of cylinders, each cylinder having a capacity greater than 225 L, that are a single unit as a result of being interconnected through a piping arrangement and are permanently mounted on a structural frame for transport, the combination of cylinders may be placarded as one large means of containment, instead of displaying the labels required under subsection (1).

• (6) If the dangerous goods are included in Class 2 and are contained in a cylinder, the cylinder may be marked in accordance with Appendix A of CGA C-7 instead of displaying the labels required under subsection (1).

• (7) If the dangerous goods are contained in a non-specification container referred to in section 5.5.4 or 5.5.5 of CSA B340, no labels are required to be displayed on the container.

• (8) Despite subsection (4), a Class 7 label is not required to be displayed on a small means of containment that contains radioactive material if the shipping name and UN number of the radioactive material are displayed on the small means of containment and

  • (a) the radioactive material is contained in an exposure device, as defined in section 1 of the Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations, and the small means of containment is marked in accordance with paragraph 28(2)(a) of the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015; or

  • (b) the radioactive material is LSA-I material, within the meaning of subsection 5(1) of the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015, and does not have any subsidiary classes and the small means of containment is marked in accordance with subparagraphs 28(2)(c)(iii) and (iv) of those Regulations.

• (9) For the purposes of subsection (1), the primary class label that must be displayed on a small means of containment that contains any of the following dangerous goods is the Class 9 label specific to lithium batteries:

  • (a) UN3090, LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES;

  • (b) UN3091, LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT;

  • (c) UN3480, LITHIUM ION BATTERIES;

  • (d) UN3481, LITHIUM ION BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT.

• (10) A label required by this Part must be displayed

  • (a) on any side of the outer surface of the small means of containment, other than the side on which the small means of containment is intended to rest or to be stacked during transport, as long as the label and all other dangerous goods marks required to be displayed on the small means of containment under this Part are visible from the same viewpoint;

  • (b) on or near the shoulder of a cylinder containing dangerous goods; or

  • (c) in the case of a label for dangerous goods included in Class 7, on two opposite sides of the outer surface of the small means of containment but not on the side on which the small means of containment is intended to rest or to be stacked during transport.

• (11) Despite subsection (10), a label with sides that are reduced in length to not less than 30 mm in length under subsection 4.7(3) may be displayed on a tag that is securely attached to the small means of containment.