Dangerous Goods Segregation Table and Principles

Little Pro on 2016-09-02

Incompatible dangerous goods should not be transported or stored together to avoid possible reactions between the dangerous goods or reduce the hazards of any accidental leakage or spillage. For incompatible materials, shared transportation or storage may still be allowed if the materials are separated from each other by a minimum distance. In this article, we will share with you dangerous goods segregation table, the general principles of segregation, and how to get necessary information to determine whether you should transport or store a hazardous material together with other hazardous materials. 

Dangerous Goods Segregation Table

Class or Division

1.3

1.4

1.5

1.6

2.1

2.2

2.3  Zone A

2.3  Zone B

3

4.1

4.2

4.3

5.1

5.2

6.1  PGI Zone A

7

8 Liquids

Explosives - 1.3

*

*

*

*

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Explosives - 1.4

*

*

*

*

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

Very Insensitive Explosives - 1.5

*

*

*

*

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Extremely Insensitive Explosives - 1.6

*

*

*

*

Flammable Gases - 2.1

X

O

X

X

O

O

O

Non-Toxic, Non-Flammable gases - 2.2

X

Toxic Gas Zone A - 2.3

X

O

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Toxic Gas Zone B - 2.3

X

O

X

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

O

Flammable Liquids - 3

X

O

X

X

O

O

X

Flammable Solids - 4.1

X

X

O

X

O

Spontaneously Combustible Materials - 4.2

X

O

X

X

O

X

X

Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases - 4.3

X

X

X

O

X

O

Oxidizers - 5.1

X

X

X

O

O

X

O

Organic Peroxides - 5.2

X

X

X

O

X

O

Toxic Liquids PGI Zone A - 6.1

X

O

X

O

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Radioactive Materials - 7

X

O

Corrosive Liquids - 8

X

O

X

X

O

O

X

O

O

O

X

FOOTNOTES:

(X): These materials may not be loaded, transported, or stored together in the same transport vehicle or storage facility during the course of transportation. Both main hazard risks and subsidary risks need to be taken into account. If you do know what those hazard classes and subsidary risks mean, please click here.

(O): These materials may not be loaded, transported, or stored together in the same transport vehicle or storage facility during the course of transportation unless separated from each other (Usually >=3 meters). However, Class 8 (corrosive)liquids may not be loaded above or adjacent to Class 4 (flammable) or Class 5 (oxidizing) materials except that the mixture of contents would not cause a fire or a dangerous evolution of heat or gas;

(*) Segregation among different Class 1 (explosive) materials is governed by the compatibility table. Exception: ammonium nitrate (UN 1942) and ammonium nitrate fertilizer may be loaded or stored with Division 1.1 (Class A explosive) or Division 1.5 (blasting agents) materials.

(Blank): The absence of any hazard class or division or a blank space in the table indicates that no restrictions apply. 

General Principles of Dangerous Goods Segregation

• Hazardous materials of the same class usually may be stowed together (except incompatible subsidiary risks or dangerous chemical reactions). 
• Strong acids are usually deemed as incompatible with strong alkali.
• Class 4.3 materials should be separated from all containers of aqueous (water containing) solutions even if the solutions are not dangerous goods.
• Class 5.2 organic peroxides and highly pyrophoric class 4.2 goods are highly reactive. They are recommended to be stored in separated detached buildings.
• Class 6.1 toxic substances shall be separated from all foods or feeds. 
• Some explosives (unstable,1.1 and 1.2), infectious substance (class 6.2) and radioactive materials (class 7) are usually deemed incompatible with all other dangerous goods.
• Class 9 dangerous goods are usually deemed compatible with all other dangerous goods.

How to Get Dangerous Goods Class Info

To determine whether you should transport or store a hazardous material together with other hazardous materials, you need to have access to the safety data sheets of the hazardous materials. The following 3 sections of safety data sheets are particularly important.

• Section 7 handling and storage: This section lists the known incompatible materials to be stored together.
• Section 10 stability and reliability: This section gives information on incompatible materials and conditions to avoid.
• Section 14 transport info: This section tells you whether a material belongs to dangerous goods or not. If a material belongs to dangerous goods, you should be able to find its UN number, proper shipping name and hazard class. 

Exercise: Take a look at this Acetone SDS and see if you can find the dangerous class of Acetone and any incompatible materials or conditions that should be avoided.

References

• US CFR 174.81 Segregation of hazardous materials.
• UN Model Regulations on Dangerous Goods Volume II

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 Tags: Topics - TDG, Dangerous Goods