Class 1 - Explosive substances and articles

1
  • Explosive substances: solid or liquid substances (or mixtures of substances) capable by chemical reaction of producing gases at such a temperature and pressure and at such a speed as to cause damage to the surroundings.
  • Pyrotechnic substances: substances or mixtures of substances designed to produce an effect by heat, light, sound, gas or smoke or a combination of these as the result of non-detonating self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions.
  • Explosive articles: articles containing one or more explosive or pyrotechnic substances.
  • Substances and articles not mentioned above which are manufactured with a view to producing a practical effect by explosion or a pyrotechnic effect.

Divisions

Substances in Class 1 are assigned to a Division and Compatability Group according to their risk. The full Classification Code consists of the Division number and the Compatability Group letter. (e.g. 1.4D)
1.1 Substances and articles which have a mass explosion hazard (a mass explosion is an explosion which affects almost the entire load virtually instantaneously).
1.2 Substances and articles which have a projection hazard but not a mass explosion hazard.
1.3 Substances and articles which have a fire hazard and either a minor blast hazard or a minor projection hazard or both, but not a mass explosion hazard:
  1. combustion of which gives rise to considerable radiant heat; or
  2. which burn one after another, producing minor blast or projection effects or both.
1.4 Substances and articles which present only a slight risk of explosion in the event of ignition or initiation during carriage. The effects are largely confined to the package and no projection of fragments of appreciable size or range is to be expected. An external fire shall not cause virtually instantaneous explosion of almost the entire contents of the package.
1.5 Very insensitive substances having a mass explosion hazard which are so insensitive that there is very little probability of initiation or of transition from burning to detonation under normal conditions of carriage. As a minimum requirement they must not explode in the external fire test.
1.6 Extremely insensitive articles which do not have a mass explosion hazard. The articles predominantly contain extremely insensitive substances and demonstrate a negligible probability of accidental initiation or propagation. NOTE: The risk from articles of Division 1.6 is limited to the explosion of a single article.

Compatibility Groups

Substances in Class 1 are assigned to a Division and Compatability Group according to their risk. The full Classification Code consists of the Division number and the Compatability Group letter. (e.g. 1.4D)
A Primary explosive substance
B Article containing a primary explosive substance and not having two or more effective protective features. Some articles, such as detonators for blasting, detonator assemblies for blasting and primers, cap-type, are included, even though they do not contain primary explosives.
C Propellant explosive substance or other deflagrating explosive substance or article containing such explosive substance.
D Secondary detonating explosive substance or black powder or article containing a secondary detonating explosive substance, in each case without means of initiation and without a propelling charge, or article containing a primary explosive substance and having two or more effective protective features.
E Article containing a secondary detonating explosive substance, without means of initiation, with a propelling charge (other than one containing a flammable liquid or gel or hypergolic liquids).
F Article containing a secondary detonating explosive substance with its own means of initiation, with a propelling charge (other than one containing a flammable liquid or gel or hypergolic liquids) or without a propelling charge.
G Pyrotechnic substance, or article containing a pyrotechnic substance, or article containing both an explosive substance and an illuminating, incendiary, tear- or smoke-producing substance (other than a water-activated article or one which contains white phosphorus, phosphides, a pyrophoric substance, a flammable liquid or gel or hypergolic liquids).
H Article containing both an explosive substance and white phosphorus.
J Article containing both an explosive substance and a flammable liquid or gel.
K Article containing both an explosive substance and a toxic chemical agent.
L Explosive substance or article containing an explosive substance and presenting a special risk (e.g. due to water activation or the presence of hypergolic liquids, phosphides or a pyrophoric substance) necessitating isolation of each type.
N Articles predominantly containing extremely insensitive substances.
S Substance or article so packed or designed that any hazardous effects arising from accidental functioning are confined within the package unless the package has been degraded by fire, in which case all blast or projection effects are limited to the extent that they do not significantly hinder or prevent fire-fighting or other emergency response efforts in the immediate vicinity of the package.
ADR European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, ECE/TRANS/257 (Vol. 1), Economic Commission for Europe Inland Transport Committee, UNECE 2017