Overview of security of dangerous goods in transport

Existing safety regulations

The safety of dangerous goods by all modes is already well regulated and there are good controls in place, for example, on storage, parking and training of staff involved in its handling and carriage. Those regulations address the risk of accidents involving the transport of dangerous goods. The aim is to minimise the risk of spillage and, if spillages do occur, to make it easier for the emergency services to deal with them. Further details are available on the dangerous goods safety pages .

Development of new security measures

In response to the events of 11 September 2001, the United Nations agreed proposals to enhance the security of transporting dangerous goods. These proposals have been taken forward by the international bodies responsible for the international carriage of dangerous goods by road and rail - with some small changes that were relevant to their particular modes of transport.

The European Commission has adopted the new road and rail security measures. The requirements are split into two levels: a general level applicable to the carriage of all dangerous goods and a higher level for the carriage of high consequence dangerous goods. These are defined as those which have the potential for misuse in a terrorist incident and which may, as a result, produce serious consequences such as mass casualties or mass destruction.

The measures for road and rail are currently in place through the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2007 and are supported by a comprehensive set of guidance .

The movement of all civil nuclear material, as defined by the Nuclear Industries Security Regulations 2003 (NISR), is not covered by this guidance [and these Regulations]. The transport of such material is regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS) in accordance with the NISR.