Comprehensive review of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code

Dangerous goods are essential to everyday life and modern economies, and play a vital role in industries including manufacturing, agriculture and energy.

The Australian Dangerous Goods Code (the Code) establishes the requirements for the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail in Australia. It sets out rules and guidelines for classifying, packaging, marking, labelling and transporting dangerous goods safely.

Over the past 22 months, the NTC has published 12 discussion papers on aspects of the Code that need updating or improving. 

Following this review, the NTC prepared a draft update to ensure the Code meets current best practices and the needs of industry and regulators. 

The draft Code addresses gaps, incorporates best practices, and manages new risks to keep the transport of dangerous goods safe.  

As part of our review, in October last year we published a Consultation Regulatory Impact Statement (C-RIS) to gather feedback on the draft Code and evaluate the impact of proposed changes. 

Public consultation on the draft ADG Code has now closed, and we’re moving into the next phase. We are holding drop-in sessions with stakeholders to keep you updated on the feedback received and how it is being incorporated into the draft Code. 

Over the coming months, the NTC will host regular drop-in sessions.

These sessions offer an opportunity to stay up to date as we review and respond to the comments and concerns raised during consultation.

Our next drop-in session is on Wednesday 12 March, 2-3pm – register now

Take a look at some helpful resources we're putting together to support the drop-in sessions. These will be updated along the way:

• Post public consultation amendments to the draft code
• Post C-RIS consultation FAQs
• Keeping you informed on the Australian Dangerous Goods Code review - webinar recording

Last year, as part of the consultation, we held two public information sessions to discuss the proposed changes to the Code and the likely impacts, as outlined in the C-RIS. 

You can view a recording of our webinar from 10 October 2024 here.
 

As part of the ADG Code Review, the NTC has also worked to review and incorporate the Australian Code for the transport of Explosives by Road and Rail (the AEC) into the Code. 

Explosives transport is a specialised part of the transport system. This paper enabled the NTC to hear from stakeholders involved in the transport of class 1 explosives. The new explosives provisions must meet the needs of the industry and regulators. It will also ensure that we successfully incorporate these provisions into the draft Code and maintain these provisions in the future.

The NTC prepared a supplementary consultation paper for provisions relating to the transport of explosives. This consultation paper was in addition to the broader C-RIS for the draft Code. We also prepared two attachments to accompany the paper:

• A draft set of provisions for explosives transport
• An extract of the class 1 entries from the dangerous goods list

We have worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders throughout the review of the Code. This has helped shape the proposed updates to the Code, ensuring that the needs of businesses, regulators, and the public are taken into account. 

Our engagement began in 2020 with an issues paper that explored the legal framework for transporting dangerous goods. This paper highlighted key areas for reform, such as improving safety, fixing outdated rules, and closer alignment with international standards like the Agreement for the International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) and the Agreement for the International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID). 

We also gathered input through:

• Consultation on 12 topic-specific discussion papers, receiving 138 submissions from over 50 different stakeholders.

  • Working Group Discussion Paper 12

  • Working Group Discussion Paper 11

  • Working Group Discussion Paper 10

  • Working Group Discussion Paper 9

  • 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

• Online surveys and submissions to capture feedback from a variety of stakeholders.
• Webinars targeted at industry groups, regulators, and other interested parties to discuss specific updates to the Code.
• Ongoing discussions with government, industry bodies, and regulators to ensure the proposed changes are both practical and effective.

To help you navigate the draft Code and locate the sections most relevant to your needs:

• Part 1 of the Code applies to everyone along the transport supply chain. It includes general exemptions and concessions, definitions and administrative requirements, and items that could not previously be found in the Code.
• Part 2 of the Code looks at classifying dangerous goods. While classification hasn’t changed, we have introduced classification codes to assist in understanding the hazards of specific dangerous goods for transport.
• Part 3, 4 and 5 will be important to any consignors or packers of dangerous goods. Part 3 includes the dangerous goods list and special provisions.
• Parts 4 and 5 contain information on packing dangerous goods and preparing them for transport.
• Also in Part 5 and in Part 7 is information for transport companies and anyone who loads dangerous goods onto vehicles to be transported.
• Part 7, specifically, relates to loading, segregation and stowage.
• Part 8 covers all the requirements for vehicle crews transporting dangerous goods.
• If you design or construct packagings, tanks or other containment systems, then Part 6 will have the information you need.
• And if you design or manage special vehicles used for dangerous goods, like tank vehicles, then Part 9 is where you’ll find these details.

If you’d like to express interest in the program, be added to our mailing list or ask us a question about our work, we’d like to hear from you at ADGcode@ntc.gov.au.