Guidance Sheet 2: Dangerous Goods

flammable gases i.e. sodium

with water.
Classification System
Class 2 Gases: Compressed,
Liquefied or Dissolved Under
Dangerous Goods are
Pressure
substances that are corrosive,
flammable, explosive, Class 2 is subdivided into the
spontaneously combustible, following three Divisions:
toxic, and oxidising or water 2.1 Flammable gases i.e.
reactive. These goods can be acetylene and most Aerosols.
deadly and can seriously
2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic
damage property and the
gases i.e. helium and oxygen.
environment. Therefore, it’s
important that they are stored 2.3 Toxic gases i.e. chlorine.
and handled safely.
Class 3: Flammable Liquids
Petrol, LPG, paints, pesticides
and acids are examples of
commonly used dangerous
goods.
Liquids which can burn and have
They are defined in the a Flash Point (not boiling point)
Dangerous Goods Act 1985 and below 60.5°C i.e. acetone and
are classified in the Australian kerosene.
Code for the Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Road and Class 4: Flammable Solids
Rail (Dangerous Goods Code) etc.
according to their common
hazardous properties.

Classes of Dangerous Goods

Each substance or article of Class 4 is sub-divided into the
Dangerous Goods named in the following three Divisions:
Code is assigned to a particular 4.1 Flammable solids i.e.
Class relating to its primary phosphorous (red).
hazardous property. The
4.2 Substances liable to (white)
Classes are as follows:
spontaneous combustion i.e.
phosphorus.
Class 1: Explosives
4.3 Substances that, when they
come in contact, emit

Explosives range from those that

are extremely hazardous with a
mass explosion hazard such as
TNT, Gunpowder etc.

Last Updated: 10 July 2018

 Guidance Sheet 2: Dangerous Goods
Classification System
Class 5: Oxidising Agents and and bases/alkalis which can agent and toxic. It meets the
Organic Peroxides react dangerously i.e. classification criteria for Classes
hydrochloric acid, sodium 8, 5.1 and 6.1. As its corrosivity,
hydroxide and batteries is its primary hazard, Nitric Acid,
containing acid. Red, Fuming is assigned to
Class 8. However, it is also
Class 9: Miscellaneous allocated Subsidiary Risks of 5.1
Class 5 is sub-divided into the Dangerous Goods and 6.1 to cover the other
following two Divisions: hazards.
5.1 Oxidizing agents i.e.
ammonium dichromate.
5.2 Organic peroxides i.e. ethyl
methyl ketone peroxide.
Dangerous substances and
Class 6: Toxic and Infectious articles that do not fit into the United Nations (UN) Number
Substances above categories i.e. dry ice,
Each Dangerous Goods item
asbestos and environmentally
listed in the Australian
hazardous substances.
Dangerous Goods Code is
Subsidiary Risk assigned a unique number,
known as the UN Number
Many dangerous goods present (United Nations Number or UN
Class 6 is sub-divided into the the hazards of more than one
following two Divisions: No.).For example:
Class or Division. Such goods
6.1 Toxic substances i.e. are assigned to a Class  UN No. 1090 Acetone
cyanides, arsenic compounds according to their primary  UN No. 1789 Hydrochloric
and lead acetate. hazard. The other hazard or Acid
6.2 Infectious substances i.e. hazards are referred to as
Some UN numbers apply to
vaccines and pathology Subsidiary Risks.
groups of substances having
specimens. Examples: similar hazardous properties that
Methanol is a highly flammable are not covered by specific
Class 7: Radioactive Materials
liquid that is also toxic. It meets chemical entity entries. For
the classification criteria for both example:
Class 3 and Division 6.1. As its  UN No. 1263 Paint
flammability is its primary
 UN No. 1993 Flammable
Substances and articles which hazard, Methanol is assigned to
Liquid
spontaneously emit radiation Class 3. It is also shown in the
Australian Dangerous Goods  N.O.S. (Not Otherwise
greater than 70 kilobecquerel
per kilogram i.e. uranium oxide. Code as having a Subsidiary Specified)
Risk of 6.1 to cover its toxicity
Class 8: Corrosive Packing Group
hazard.
Substances and Articles Dangerous Goods of some
Classes are further divided into
Packing Groups according to the
degree of danger they present,
as follows:
Nitric Acid, Red, Fuming is
This class is not further sub- corrosive, a strong oxidising  Packing Group  Great
divided but it includes both acids Danger
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 Guidance Sheet 2: Dangerous Goods
Classification System
 Packing Group  Medium agreed system of chemical GHS Symbols and meanings
Danger classification and hazard
communication through labelling Aspiratory or
 Packing Group  Minor respiratory hazard,
Danger of containers and provision of
carcinogenicity,
Safety Data Sheets (SDS). mutagenicity
 ‘Packing Group’ (referred to
as ‘Packaging Group’ in Under the GHS, hazards will be
communicated to chemical users Hazardous to the
earlier versions of the
through nine hazard pictograms environment
Regulations and Code)
does not apply to those that represent the physical,
Classes/Divisions of health and environmental
Dangerous Good against hazards. Information about the May cause
which ‘Not applicable’ hazards will also be immediate health
appears in the table below. communicated using a effect – skin, eye,
combination of signal words, respiratory
The greater the degree of
hazard statements and
danger, the more stringent the Acute toxicity via
precautionary statements.
packaging requirement for the oral, dermal or
substance. Chemicals purchased after 1 inhalation
January 2017 from commercial
The following Class/Packing
suppliers will be labelled
Groups may be encountered: Corrosive, skin
according to the GHS and
Class/Divisio Packing similarly, safety data sheets will damage, eye
n Group/s damage
be provided in the GHS
1 Not compliant format. Although not
applicable yet mandatory, manufacturers Compressed,
2 Not and importers have begun using liquefied or
applicable the GHS for classification, dissolved gases
3 ,  or  labelling and safety data sheets
of workplace hazardous
4 ,  or  chemicals. In the interim either Oxidising
5.1 ,  or  the GHS or the existing substances

5.2  only classification, labelling and

MSDS system for hazardous
6.1 ,  or  substances and dangerous Flammable,
6.2 N/A goods can be used and pyrophoric, self
7 N/A chemicals currently stored in heating substances;
manufacturer or supplier water reactive
8 ,  or  containers do not need to be
9  or  relabelled according to the GHS Explosives, self-
system and these will be reactive substances,
New Labelling Requirements organic peroxides
progressively replaced.
Effective From 1 January 2017
From 1 January 2017, the
What Schools Need To Do To
classification and labelling of Comply
chemicals in Australia will be
Chemicals that have been
subject to the Globally
decanted or stored in another
Harmonised System (GHS),
container will need to be labelled
which is a single internationally

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 Guidance Sheet 2: Dangerous Goods
Classification System
according to the GHS
requirements. The minimum
information to be included on the
label is:
 Product Name
 Hazard Pictogram or
Hazard Statement
Labels for decanted chemicals
can be printed using the
ChemWatch SDS database
(GOLDFFX) for which the
Department has a subscription
usage licence to provide full
licence access to all of the
Department's Secondary and P-
12 schools. 
Chemical storage segregation
requirements will remain the
same; and labels and
pictograms on chemical storage
cupboards that align with DG
requirements can continue to be
used.
More information on chemicals
can be found at Safe Work
Australia’s Classification and
labelling for workplace
hazardous chemicals and the
Department’s Chemical
Management page.

Further information and advice

can be obtained by contacting
the Department’s OHS
Advisory Service on 1300 074
715 or e-mail:
safety@edumail.vic.gov.au.

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