Comprehensive review of Australian Dangerous Goods Code 2021-24

It takes trucks, tanks and bulk containers to transport dangerous goods across Australia. To make sure we’ve got the right requirements to keep the transport system safe, the NTC is conducting the first major review of Australia's Dangerous Goods Code in 10 years.

So far, we have sort feedback on eight papers, and will continue to provide opportunities to comment on other provisions in the code over the next 12 months. 

When a consultation is open, read the working group paper and have your say below by answering each of the questions in the papers. This feedback will help inform how classification codes and information may be redrafted in the code. 

As part of the review so far, we have released six discussion papers, and sort consultation on each. In order of most recent: 

• Working Group Discussion Paper 8
• Working Group Discussion Paper 7
• Working Group Discussion Paper 6
• Working Group Discussion Paper 5
• Working Group Discussion Paper 4
• Working Group Discussion Paper 3
• Working Group Discussion Paper 2
• Working Group Discussion Paper 1

Submissions for discussion papers 1 - 6 have closed, however if you missed out on providing feedback and would like to, email Debra Kirk.

Draft Code to date

• Draft Code Part 2 - Classification 
• Draft Code Part 5 - Consignment procedures

We are engaging our stakeholders throughout the review. This may involve asking you to help with research by completing a short survey or joining working groups relevant to you. Let us know if you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive updates.

Diesel survey

As part of our work reviewing the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail, we are seeking responses to a four-question survey that will help to better understand the potential impacts of regulating Diesel for transport.

Responses from the survey will help inform the development of future consultation papers.

Complete the short survey.

Working groups 

In you have a particular interest in one or more of the topic-based working groups, please let us know.

This review is an opportunity for Australia to:  

• better align with international and intermodal practices 
• leverage international processes to ensure all aspects of the code are regularly updated. 

Improving international alignment will make it easier for Australia to participate in the global economy.

The review will aim to better align the code with the following:

United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations (UN MR)

Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR)

Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID)

In November 2020, transport ministers approved a full review of the code. The review aims to achieve:

• conduct an in-depth review of chapters in the code specific to Australia
• incorporate requirements relating to Class 1 (explosives) and Division 6.2 (infectious substances)
• incorporate relevant concepts and requirements from the ADR and RID
• include more detailed training requirements 
• provide a high-level summary of duties, grouped by activity (such as consignor, loader, prime contractor or driver)
• develop a central register of legislative variations across states and territories that the public can access
• include natural justice and administrative law principles in the model legislation
• improve processes for licences associated with the transport of dangerous goods.

Principle 1

The current practice of drawing core requirements not specific to a mode from the UNMR will continue. These core requirements will also continue to be updated in line with the UNMR.

Principle 2

The starting point for requirements specific to land transport will be the requirements in the ADR and RID. But the ADG Code will keep current methodologies for placarding, segregation, and compliance with Australian Standards (where relevant).

Principle 3

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code will be the starting point for:

• the table of dangerous goods that must be segregated for transport
• the point at which emergency information must be included on marking and labelling, and placarding.

Principle 4 

Existing provisions in the ADG Code unique to Australia will only be kept if an analysis against the ADR or RID identifies a valid risk that isn't controlled by an existing ADR or RID provision.

Principle 5

Variations to ADR or RID provisions will only be made if either:

• the variation doesn't impact the cohesiveness of the requirements overall
• there is data and evidence that show the benefits of making the variation outweigh the impact of varying the ADR or RID provisions.

Principle 6

Existing Australian methodologies identified to be kept will be reassessed to make sure they still meet their intended purpose. This includes reassessing trigger thresholds and operational application, for example, reassessing placarding thresholds.
 

Some of the key benefits resulting from the ADG Code review principles include:

• Requirements will be proportionate to the risk.
• It will be easier to maintain the ADG Code and keep it up to date, making the long-term maintenance of the code more sustainable.
• Australia will have access to – and the benefit of – international expertise, data, and rationale for requirements.
   

The in-depth review will be conducted by local dangerous goods experts, through working groups based on the following topics:

• explosives
• tanks and vehicles-related provisions
• rail-related provisions
• dangerous goods list and special provisions
• training related provisions
• safety and emergency (fire) equipment
• thresholds (small loads and placard loads)
• exemptions and scope.

Their work and expertise will feed into a national working group, led by the NTC. The Chair of each topic-based working group will be a member of the national group, which will have oversight of the ADG Code review. Terms of reference for the working groups have been finalised.
 

We held an information webinar on the ADG Code Review on 23 June 2022. Watch the condensed version below: 

This video covers: 

• why we’re undertaking the review
• the review principles and their benefits
• some worked examples.

Read the accessible webinar notes | Read the webinar FAQs | Watch accessible version with closed captions and transcript on YouTube