Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Shipping Documents (Road)

The Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations define a shipping document as: 

“means a document that relates to dangerous goods that are being offered for transport, handled or transported and that contains the information required by Part 3 relating to the goods but does not include an electronic record.” 

This definition means that a shipping document, paper or waybill is a document that: 

• identifies all the dangerous goods that are in a shipment or consignment, and
• includes all the required information in Part 3 of the TDG Regulations. 

Currently, only hard copies of the shipping document are allowed in the TDG Regulations. However, an electronic shipping document can be used if the carrier has obtained an “equivalency certificate” from the Minister. An “equivalency certificate” may not be required when the TDG Regulations are harmonized with the UN TDG Model regulations.

Note: The information below is provided as guidance only. Shipping documents are outlined in Part 3 of the TDG Regulations.  Always check with Transport Canada and the TDG Act and Regulations to ensure compliance.

Please also see the following documents in this series for road transportation of dangerous goods: 

• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Overview (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Training (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - 9 Classes
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Classification (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - "Special Case” and “Special Provision” Exemptions (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Reporting Requirements
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Emergency Response (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Means of Containment (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Segregation of Means of Containment (Road)
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) - Dangerous Goods Marks or Dangerous Goods Safety Marks (Road)

The purpose of shipping documents is to provide information about the dangerous goods and non-dangerous goods (if any) that are being transported on the means of transport (e.g., vehicle, truck), quantity of the dangerous good, and severity of their hazards. Knowing the identity of the goods that are on the means of transport allows emergency responders to plan a safe response when an incident occurs. For example: 

• Type of dangerous good that is being released from a leaking means of containment (e.g., drum, tank, etc.), fire, etc.
• Type of by-products emitted when the shipment is involved in a fire
• The quantity of dangerous good that can potentially be released
• Degree of the danger they pose

The TDG shipping document is always required, unless a shipment of dangerous goods is exempt in the TDG Regulations from being accompanied with a TDG shipping document.  If a dangerous goods shipment is exempt from having a TDG shipping document, details will be specified in: 

• Sections 1.15 to 1.50 in Part 1 of the TDG Regulations, or
• Special Provision in column 5 of Schedule 1. The content for a particular Special Provisions is provided in Schedule 2.

The consignor or importer is responsible for the preparation of a TDG shipping document.

Consignors or importers also have responsibilities including to: 

• make sure the TDG shipping document contains all the required information in Part 3 of the TDG Regulations.
• include a consignor’s certification.
• provide a paper copy of the TDG shipping document to the carrier, unless the carrier agrees to accept and print an electronic copy.
• save a copy of the document for at least TWO years.

The consignor's certification is a note on the shipping document confirming that the dangerous goods have been properly classified and packaged, have dangerous goods safety marks properly affixed or displayed on the means of containment, and are in proper condition for transport according to the TDG Regulations.

Acceptable consignor's certifications are provided in Section 3.6.1 in the TDG Regulation. Below is an example of a certification:

"I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above by the proper shipping name, are properly classified and packaged, have dangerous goods safety marks properly affixed or displayed on them, and are in all respects in proper condition for transport according to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations."

Yes. These responsibilities are:

Carrier

• Before and after loading, compare the list of dangerous goods in the TDG shipping document from the consignor to those in the consignment. Each dangerous good that is in the consignment must be listed on the shipping paper.
• Make sure the documents are completed properly.
• Can agree to accept an electronic copy of this document as long as the carrier makes a hard copy before transporting the dangerous goods.
• Must keep the TDG shipping document available during shipment (transport).
• Instructs drivers to keep the TDG shipping document at the following locations: 
  • When the driver is inside the means of transport (e.g., truck), the document must be placed either in a pocket mounted on the driver’s door or elsewhere as long as it is within the driver’s reach.
  • When the driver is outside of the means of transport, the document must be placed either in a pocket mounted on the driver’s door, on the driver’s seat, or in a location that is clearly visible to anyone entering through the driver’s door.
  • Must provide the original TDG shipping document or a copy of it to the new carrier when the dangerous goods are transferred to a new carrier.  An electronic copy of the shipping document can be provided to the new carrier with an “equivalency certificate,” or as long as the new carrier makes a hard copy before transporting the dangerous goods in the absence of an “equivalency certificate.”

Consignee (receiver of the shipment)

The TDG Regulations do not have specific requirements for the consignee. However, based on industry best practices, the consignee should:

• Obtain a paper copy of the TDG shipment document from the carrier.
• Confirm the shipment matches the list of dangerous goods in the document
• Save the document for at least two years.

No. Any document can be used for a dangerous goods shipment as long as it contains all of the required information in the TDG Regulations. A consignor or carrier can prepare their own form or template.

Although the TDG Regulations do not prescribe a particular shipping document form the required information in it must be:

• Easy to identify
• Legible and in indelible (permanent) print; and
• In French or English

A sample template of a shipping paper is provided by the TDG Directorate.

There are two types of requirements that must be included in the TDG shipping documents for dangerous goods.

• basic information that must be provided for ALL dangerous goods
• additional information that must be provided for SOME of the dangerous goods

NOTE:

When non-dangerous goods are included with a dangerous goods shipment, there are specific requirements on how to list them on the shipping paper. One way is to list the non-dangerous goods after the dangerous goods under the title “non-dangerous goods”.

Non-dangerous goods that are food related items generally are not allowed to be transported with dangerous goods.

NOTE: The following information is provided for informational purposes only.  It is not an interpretation of the TDG Act or regulations.  Part 3 of the TDG Regulations lists specific shipping paper requirements.

Shipping document Checklist 

Shipping document : 

Required information

• The consignor’s (shipper’s) name and address
• Date
• 24-hour number
• If applicable: ERAP reference number and ERAP telephone number
• UN Number
• Shipping name (If applicable, technical names)
• Primary class
• Subsidiary class
• Packing group
• Toxic by inhalation
• Total quantity
• Number of small means of containment that require a label
• Declaration and shipper’s name
• Consignor or Importer certification must appear anywhere on the shipping document (except for a large means of containment that contains a residue of important shipments)

Optional: 

• Consignee (destination) name and address
• Point of Origin
• Name of carrier / Transport unit number
• Shipping document number
• Non-dangerous goods (Packages, description of articles, weight)
• Received in apparent good order with consignee’s signature
• Drivers number and driver’s signature

Notes:

• If listing dangerous goods and non-dangerous goods, the dangerous goods must be clearly identified
• After the shipping name:
  • The technical name should follow in brackets (parenthesis) immediately after the shipping name when required by Special Provision 16 of Schedule 2
  • The words “Not Odourized” (or Not Odorized) must appear if shipping a liquified petroleum gas that has not been odourized
  • The word “WASTE” when the dangerous goods are waste
  • The word “SOLUTION” or “MIXTURE” as appropriate
  • The TDG class may be indicated as a number only (e.g., 3), or as Class 3
  • The compatibility group must follow Class 1 (applies to explosives)
  • The subsidiary class or classes must follow in brackets after the class (applies to dangerous goods that have been assigned a subsidiary class in Colum 3 of Schedule 1 or when the consignor has determined that a subsidiary class applies).
  • Packing group, if applicable, reported as a Roman numeral only, or packing group or PG with the Roman numeral (e.g., I, or Packing Group I or PG I)
• Quantity of dangerous goods for each shipping name:
  • Gross quantity, as reported using the International System of Units (SI) for small and large means of containment (e.g., kilograms (kg), litres (L))
  • For Class 1 Explosives Only: Quantity of explosives expressed as either kilograms of net explosives quantity (NEQ) or number of articles if the explosives are subject to Special Provisions 86 or 86 in Schedule 2
  • The number of small means of containment (when the small means of containment require labels)
  • When multiple deliveries, indicate the change in quantity on the shipping document or by attaching a separate document to the shipping document
• For Class 4.1 Flammable solids, and Class 5.2 Organic Peroxides, control and emergency temperatures.
• For Class 7, any additional information required for transport documents under the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations
• For goods requiring Emergency Response Assistance Plans (ERAP)
  • The letters ERAP plus the ERAP reference number issued by Transport Canada
  • The ERAP telephone number, identified with the letters ERAP before or after
• For non-ERAP dangerous goods:
  • The consignor’s 24-hour telephone number for non-ERAP dangerous goods
  • The Canadian Transport Emergency Centre’s (CANUTEC) twenty-four hour emergency telephone number (613) 996-6666/ 1-888-CAN-UTEC (226-8832) may be listed if the consignor is registered with CANUTEC or CANUTEC has given permission
  • (optional) Emergency response instructions, such as a copy of a safety data sheet (SDS) or a copy of the appropriate pages from the North American Emergency Response Guide
• For empty containers (that are not cleaned), “Residue – Last Contained” may be added before or after the description of the dangerous goods for small means of containment. This does not apply to Class 2 in small means of containment, or Class 7
• A fumigated cargo transport unit requires:
  • Specific shipping name “FUMIGATED CARGO TRANSPORT UNIT”
  • Class 9
  • UN3359
  • The technical name and quantity of the fumigant
  • The date and time of fumigation, and
  • Instructions for the disposal of residues and fumigation devices

The following is an example of preparing a shipping document for a consignment consisting of only small means of containment.  Each means of containment has a label. 

4 drums of acetone (4 X 200L) 
1 drum of diisopropyl ketone (1 X 200L) 
10 drums methanol (10 X 200L) 
5 drums calcium chloride (5 X 200kg) 
1 drum Titanium tetrachloride (1 X 200L) 
1 cylinder methyl bromide (capacity 60L) 
1 cylinder liquefied propane, odourized (capacity 180 L) 
1 cylinder of Anhydrous Ammonia (capacity 40 L) 

STEP 1 – Check Schedules 1 and 3 of the TDG Regulations for each material. Schedule 3 is checked for a dangerous good’s name when not listed in Schedule 1.  Note that diisopropyl ketone is not listed directly in Schedule 1 or 3. When a dangerous good is not listed in Schedules 1 or 3 then obtain the classification as follows: 

• check the SDS for the dangerous good,
• contact the supplier, and/or
• ask for help from the company’s (i.e., your employer’s) TDG specialist.

If the dangerous good is manufactured on-site, then the manufacturer must determine the classification for the dangerous good.

The summary of information in Schedule 1 and/or SDSs, along with the specified quantity in the consignment is as follows: 

Sample: Shipping document for the above consignment 

NOTE: The shipping document must contain the required information in Part 3 of the TDG regulations. It may also contain additional information for administrative purposes. 

The TDG directorate has included a sample shipping document with amended quantities on shipping papers.  See the response for “If I deliver a portion of the load, do I need to update the quantity on the shipping document?”