What are dangerous goods?
Dangerous goods stands for “Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises Dangereuses par Route” – in other words: the European agreement for the transport of dangerous goods by road. It sets out how we handle hazardous materials safely in Europe, such as:
- Explosive materials (class 1)
- Flammable liquids (class 3)
- Toxic gases and substances (class 2 and 6)
- Corrosive or oxidizing substances (class 5 and 8)
- Environmentally hazardous substances like lithium batteries (class 9)
Every product with a risk falls under a hazard class and gets a UN number. That number is linked to specific rules for packaging, transport, labeling, equipment, and documentation.
Why are dangerous goods so important?
Imagine a barrel with a corrosive substance leaking in your warehouse, or a pallet with flammable liquid ending up in a van without proper ventilation. You’ve got a dangerous situation in no time.
Dangerous goods regulations protect people, goods, and the environment. By properly following these rules:
- You prevent accidents and fines
- Everyone in the chain knows the risks
- You can respond quickly and correctly in emergencies
- You comply with legal obligations during inspections or audits
In many sectors (chemical, pharma, construction, automotive, food), dangerous goods compliance is simply essential for business continuity and customer trust.
How do you calculate dangerous goods points?
Dangerous goods points are crucial in assessing whether a shipment falls under the 1000-points rule. Below this threshold, less strict transport rules apply.
The formula is simple:
Dangerous goods points = quantity (kg/l) × factor from dangerous goods table
The factor depends on the UN number and the class of the substance. For example:
- UN 1203 (gasoline) → factor = 3
- UN 1090 (acetone) → factor = 1
- UN 1993 (flammable liquid) → factor = 1
Example:
You transport 200 liters of acetone (UN 1090).
Dangerous goods points = 200 × 1 = 200 points
If you stay below 1000 points (for the entire shipment), no special dangerous goods equipment or training is needed. But above that threshold, stricter rules apply: your driver must be dangerous goods certified, your vehicle must meet dangerous goods equipment requirements, and you need written instructions on board.
The government and dangerous goods: useful but limited
The Dutch government does publish an overview of the most recent dangerous goods data – often as an Excel document or PDF, but:
- Inconvenient to search
- No integration with your own system
- Not automatically linked to products or orders
- No dangerous goods point calculation
So for practical use in logistics, this is actually not workable. You have to calculate and copy everything manually, and that is error-prone.
Babeldat makes dangerous goods simple and error-free
At Babeldat, we understand that you don’t want to puzzle over tables. That’s why we offer:
- The complete, up-to-date dangerous goods list – available in any format (JSON, XML, CSV, API, you name it)
- Automatic linking with your product catalog or orders
- Dangerous goods point calculation directly in your shipment overview
- Warnings when exceeding the 1000-point rule
- Document generation (transport documents, safety instructions, labels)
- Checks for packaging groups, labels, and vehicle types
With Babeldat you work according to the rules, avoid fines, and work more safely – without extra administrative hassle.
In summary
Dangerous goods is not a burden, but a life insurance. Whether you are a warehouse worker, planner, or transport coordinator – if you work with hazardous materials, you want to do it right, safely, and efficiently.
Babeldat helps you with that every day. Request the most recent dangerous goods list from us in any format, or let our system handle it for you.
