IMDG Dangerous Goods Awareness flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

IMDG Code legal basis

The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code gives effect to SOLAS chapter VII and is mandatory for packaged dangerous goods carried by sea on ships to which that chapter applies.

IMDG Code structure

Seven parts: general provisions and training; classification; Dangerous Goods List and special provisions; packing and tanks; consignment procedures; carrying units; and transport operations.

IMDG Supplement contents

The Supplement to the Code contains the EmS Guide of emergency schedules, the MFAG medical first aid guide, and the procedures for reporting incidents involving dangerous goods.

IMDG amendment cycle

The Code is amended about every two years by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee, with new editions normally entering into force on 1 January of even-numbered years after a transition period.

Nine hazard classes

1 Explosives, 2 Gases, 3 Flammable liquids, 4 Flammable solids, 5 Oxidizers and organic peroxides, 6 Toxic and infectious substances, 7 Radioactive, 8 Corrosives, 9 Miscellaneous.

Class 1 divisions and groups

Explosives are assigned a division from 1.1 to 1.6 plus a compatibility group letter A to S, for example 1.4S, which together govern stowage with other goods.

Class 3 packing groups

Flammable liquids are placed in PG I, II or III according to flash point and initial boiling point; PG I covers the most volatile liquids with the lowest boiling points.

Class 4 subdivisions

4.1 flammable solids and self-reactive substances; 4.2 substances liable to spontaneous combustion; 4.3 substances that emit flammable gas when in contact with water.

Dangerous Goods List columns

Each entry gives UN number, proper shipping name, class, subsidiary risks, packing group, special provisions, quantity limits, packing instructions, stowage and segregation provisions, EmS and MFAG references.

Proper shipping name rule

The transport document and package markings must use the proper shipping name shown in column 2 of the Dangerous Goods List; a trade name alone is never acceptable.

Special provision 188

A numbered special provision listed in chapter 3.3 that grants specific relaxations or adds requirements; SP 188, for example, sets conditions for certain small lithium battery consignments.

N.o.s. entries

Generic entries such as 'n.o.s.' cover groups of substances not individually listed; the technical name of the substance must then be added in brackets after the proper shipping name.

UN packaging code

A code combining packaging type digit, material letter and category digit, such as 1A1 for a non-removable head steel drum, specified by the packing instruction.

Packing group letter on packaging

UN packaging is marked X for packing groups I, II and III, Y for II and III, or Z for III only; the letter shows the severest packing group the packaging is approved for.

Hazard label dimensions

Hazard labels are squares set at 45 degrees with a minimum side of 100 mm, placed on a contrasting background, showing the primary and any subsidiary risk.

Marine pollutant mark

Packages of environmentally hazardous substances carry the marine pollutant mark showing a fish and tree, plus the words MARINE POLLUTANT or ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE.

Dangerous goods transport document

The shipper's declaration stating UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group, number and kind of packages, total quantity, emergency telephone number and a signed compliance certification.

Container packing certificate

A certificate confirming the container was packed and secured in accordance with the Code, that only compatible goods were loaded, and that the unit is fit for carriage.

Class 7 documentation

For radioactive material the transport document must additionally state the package category, the transport index and the surface radiation level, as required by the IAEA regulations.

Flash point on document

For class 3 substances with a flash point of 61 degrees Celsius or below, the flash point must be shown on the dangerous goods transport document.

Stowage categories A to E

Codes in column 16 of the Dangerous Goods List that state whether goods may go on deck, under deck or only on deck, and whether carriage in cargo transport units is allowed.

Segregation terms order

Increasing separation: away from; separated from; separated by a complete compartment or hold; separated longitudinally by an intervening complete compartment or hold.

Separated from meaning

Goods are in different compartments or holds, or in the same compartment but at least 3 metres apart horizontally, so that incompatible goods cannot interact dangerously.

Segregation groups

Numbered groups plus acids and alkalis, listed in chapter 3.1, used together with the segregation table to decide whether goods of different classes must be separated.

EmS schedule reference

The emergency schedule number given in the Dangerous Goods List, split into fire schedules F and spillage schedules S, used to guide response on board.

MFAG table number

The Medical First Aid Guide table number shown in the Dangerous Goods List entry, used to select first aid treatment after exposure to the substance.

Incident reporting duty

The master reports loss or likely loss overboard of dangerous goods, and incidents posing a significant risk to the marine environment, to the nearest coastal state.

Shipper responsibilities

The shipper must correctly classify, pack, mark, label and document the dangerous goods and sign the declaration that the consignment is in proper condition for transport.

Master responsibilities

The master is responsible for safe carriage on board, including compliance with stowage and segregation requirements and readiness to apply the emergency response procedures.

Training record retention

Training must be documented and kept by the employer, made available to flag and port state on request, and refreshed at intervals not exceeding five years.

Limited quantity mark

A diamond showing a black Y on a white background, required on packages of goods carried as limited quantities, which also carry the applicable hazard labels.

Excepted quantity mark

A diamond bearing the words EXCEPTED QUANTITY and the UN number of the goods, required on packages carried under the excepted quantity provisions.