Dangerous Goods


SAHANA Logistics was formed with the aim of providing specialised shipping services exclusively to businesses and organisations that are tasked regularly with complying to the strictly imposed regulations that govern the transport of dangerous good.

Compounds, substances or articles of a hazardous nature must, by law, be treated with a degree of extra care and attention as prescribed by their given mode of transport. SAHANA Logistics are able to provide this degree of extra care and attention on behalf of customers through providing them with a full logistics service. This includes specialist packing, documentation and handling of all classes of dangerous goods consignments.

Our bespoke transportation service offers a wide range of products and solutions that relate directly to the safe and efficient delivery of all classes of dangerous goods. We are able to utilise all modes of transport (Air, Road and Sea) and have built a network of overseas agents that perform services on our behalf, and in line with our high expectations.

What are Dangerous Goods?

Dangerous goods, solids, liquids, or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment. They are often subject to chemical regulations. teams are personnel specially trained to handle dangerous goods. Dangerous goods include materials that are radioactive, flammable, explosive, corrosive, oxidizing, asphyxiating, bio-hazardous, toxic, pathogenic, or allergenic. Also included are physical conditions such as compressed gases and liquids or hot materials, including all goods containing such materials or chemicals, or may have other characteristics that render them hazardous in specific circumstances. Dangerous goods are often indicated by diamond-shaped signage, and are divided into classes on the basis of the specific chemical characteristics producing the risk. Some classes are also broken down into packing groups to indicate the level of danger that they can potentially cause. A brief description of each class, its characteristics and the use of packing groups is as follows:

Classes

    1 Explosives: Items such as cartridges, pyrotechnics, fireworks and rockets that have a blast or projection hazard
    2.1 Flammable Gas: Gases which ignite on contact with an ignition source
    2.2 Non-Flammable Gases: Gases which are neither flammable nor poisonous
    2.3 Poisonous Gases: Gases liable to cause death or serious injury to human health if inhaled
    3 Flammable Liquids: Liquids that are easily ignited when exposed to a heat source
    4.1 Flammable Solids: Solid substances that can be easily ignited and are therefore, readily combustible
    4.2 Spontaneously Combustible: Solid substances that ignite spontaneously
    4.3 Dangerous when Wet: Solid substances that emit a flammable gas when wet or react violently with water
    5.1 Oxidizing agents other than organic peroxides
    5.2 Organic peroxides, either in liquid or solid form
    6.1 Toxic substances which are liable to cause death or serious injury to human health if inhaled, swallowed or by skin absorption
    6.2 Bio-hazardous substances; the World Health Organization (WHO) divides this class into two categories: Category A: Infectious; and Category B: Samples (virus cultures, pathology specimens, used intravenous needles etc).
    7 Radioactive substances comprise substances or a combination of substances which emit ionizing radiation
    8 Corrosive substances are substances that can dissolve organic tissue or severely corrode certain metals
    9 Hazardous substances that do not fall into the other categories (asbestos, air-bag inflators, self inflating life rafts, dry ice)

Packing Groups

Packing groups are used for the purpose of determining the degree of protective packaging required for Dangerous Goods during transportation, and can also determine the quantities in which they may be shipped safely.
Group I: Great danger. Therefore most protective packaging required. Some combinations of different classes of dangerous goods on the same vehicle or in the same container are forbidden if one of the goods is assigned to Packing Group I.
Group II: Medium danger.
Group III: Least danger. Higher quantities may be carried and least protective packaging is required for the transportation of such goods.