Placard requirements
A vehicle carrying a dangerous goods (DG) load must be appropriately placarded in accordance with the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. This means the vehicle must display details of the dangerous goods class/division and if required, emergency information panels.
A placard is a label or emergency information panel displayed on the cargo transport unit, placardable unit or vehicle transporting dangerous goods. It can be:
- fixed to, or placed in a frame fixed to, the unit or vehicle
- stencilled or printed directly onto the unit or vehicle.
Placard load (minimum quantities)
The following 2 tables, under Table 5.3: Placard Load (Minimum Quantities) in the Australian Dangerous Goods Code, outline the placard requirements for dangerous goods loads.
A placard load is a load of dangerous goods that must be placarded under the Code's Chapter 5.3 as determined in accordance with both tables 5.3.1 and 5.3.2.
Table 5.3.1- Dangerous goods not transported under Chapter 3.4
Dangerous goods in a cargo transport unit | Placard load quantity and licensing requirements |
|---|---|
(a) Dangerous goods in a receptacle with a:
Receptacles are containment vessels for receiving and holding substances or articles, including any means of closing | A placard is required for 1 or more such receptacles - for example, 1 or more placardable units A dangerous goods driver and vehicle licence is required |
(b) Includes any quantity of:
| Aggregate quantity of all dangerous goods (other than limited quantities (LQ) in the cargo transport unit is equal to or greater than 250kg or 250L (see Note 5) No dangerous goods vehicle or driver licence is required |
(c) Division 6.2 (infectious substances) – category A | A placard is required for all quantities No dangerous goods vehicle or driver licence is required |
(d) Division 6.2 (infectious substances) – other than category A | A placard is required for more than or equal to 10kg or 10L No dangerous goods vehicle or driver licence is required |
(e) Loads where (a) – (d) do not apply | Aggregate quantity of dangerous goods (other than LQ) is equal to or greater than 1,000kg or 1,000L (see Note 5), unless the load is a Fumigated Unit (UN 3359 – see Note 3) No dangerous goods vehicle or driver licence is required |
Table 5.3.2 – Dangerous goods transported under Chapter 3.4
Dangerous goods packed in limited quantities and/or domestic consumable dangerous goods.
Note: These placarding thresholds are separate to and in addition to the above placarding thresholds. In practice, this may mean a single vehicle is required to be placarded with both a placard for the fully regulated DG in the load and an LQ placard.
| Dangerous goods in a cargo transport unit | Placard load quantity and licensing requirements |
|---|---|
| (f) Limited quantities dangerous goods and/or domestic consumable dangerous goods (defined in section 1.2.1 of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code) | The load includes limited quantities dangerous goods and/or domestic consumable dangerous goods that includes an aggregate quantity of any one UN number from a single place of consignment of equal to or greater than 2,000kg or 2,000L |
(g) Loads where (f) does not apply limited quantities dangerous goods and / or domestic consumable dangerous goods (defined in section 1.2.1 of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code) | The gross mass of the limited quantities dangerous goods and/or domestic consumable dangerous goods is equal to or greater than 8 tonnes (see Note 5) |
Note 1: For placarding quantities of Class 1 (explosives), refer to the Australian Explosives Code. Contact Resources Safety & Health Queensland for more information.
Note 2: For placarding quantities of Class 7 (radioactive material), refer to the Code of Practice for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Substances. Contact Queensland Health for further information.
Note 3: A Fumigated Unit (UN 3359) complying with Chapter 5.5 of the Australian Dangerous Goods Code that does not contain any other dangerous goods is not a placard load, and should not be included in the total quantity of dangerous goods when determining a placard load.
Note 4: For land transport wholly within Australia, this Code requires placards to be displayed on cargo transport units if they contain a placard load, as determined from Table 5.3. It should be noted that cargo transport units containing lesser quantities may need to be placarded in accordance with the IMDG Code before they are acceptable for transport by sea, even within Australian waters.
Note 5: When transporting a load that contains dangerous goods specified in (b) or (e) of Table 5.3.1 and dangerous goods specified in (g) of Table 5.3.2, each of which are below a placard load, the combined quantity of dangerous goods in the load must be calculated and the result assessed against the relevant threshold in Table 5.3.1.
Calculation of combined quantity
- If the relevant threshold for the dangerous goods in Table 5.3.1 is (b) - the combined quantity = the aggregate qty regulated DG + 10% of the gross weight of the LQ/DC
- or
- If the relevant threshold for the dangerous goods in Table 5.3.1 is (e) - the combined quantity = the aggregate qty regulated DG + 25% of the gross weight of the LQ/DC
For more information contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads at dgu@tmr.qld.gov.au.
Interstate contacts
Contact an interstate competent authority for information on dangerous goods regulations, licensing and classifications outside of Queensland.
- Last reviewed: 2 Jul 2019
- Last updated: 3 Feb 2021