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 handled, offered for transport or transported and that contains the information required by Part 3 (Documentation) 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.

Although currently electronic forms are not allowed, Transport Canada has launched a sandbox project to determine the conditions (if any) under which electronic shipping documents can be used in order to reach a level of safety that is equivalent or better than paper documents.

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: 

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 contain 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, or on the driver’s seat, or in a location that is clearly visible to anyone entering through the driver’s door.
  • Must provide the TDG shipping document or a copy of it must be provided 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 as long as the new carrier makes a hard copy before transporting the dangerous goods.
  • Must give a paper document that identifies the dangerous goods to a person (other than another carrier) who takes possession of the dangerous goods. An electronic copy of a document that identifies the dangerous goods is also allowed.
  • Amend the TDG shipment document when there are multiple deliveries.
  • Remove old documents from the vehicle to avoid any misunderstanding in case of an emergency.

  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 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 good shipment as long as the document 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

There are two types of requirements that are required 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 can be included with a dangerous goods shipment, the non-dangerous goods are listed 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.

Table 1– Sample checklist for items required on a shipping paper

NOTE: Highlighted information (in grey) is the information that is always required. Non-highlighted items are additional information items that may be required for some of the dangerous goods.
NOTE:  The following table is provided as informational only.  It is not an interpretation of TDG Act or regulations.  Part 3 of the TDG Regulations list specific shipping paper requirements.

The following is an example when preparing shipping documents for a consignment that consists 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 Schedule 1 of the TDG Regulations for each material. Note that diisopropyl ketone is not listed directly in Schedule 1. When a dangerous good is not listed in Schedule 1 then obtain the classification by:

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

Summary of information in schedule 1 and/or SDSs, along with the specified quantity in the consignment is as follows:

Acetone (4 X 200L)
UN1090 Acetone
Class 3
Packing Group (PG) II
No special provisions
ERAP not required

Diisopropyl ketone (1 X 200L)
UN1224 Ketones, Liquid, N.O.S. (Diisopropyl ketone)
Class 3
Packing Group II
Special provision 16 – technical name required
ERAP not required

Methanol (10 X 200L)
UN1230 Methanol
Class 3 (6.1)
Packing Group (PG) II
Special provision 43
ERAP not require

Calcium chloride dihydrate (5 X 200kg)
Not listed in Schedule 1
Check SDS for TDG classification and / or consult with supplier

Example 1: Sample SDS from supplier A - not a dangerous good
Example 2: Sample SDS from supplier B - not a dangerous good
Example 3: Sample SDS from supplier C – not regulated

Titanium tetrachloride (1 X 200L)
UN1838 Titanium Chloride
Class 6.1(8)
Packing Group I
SP 23 – Toxic by inhalation
ERAP not required

Methyl bromide (capacity 60L)
UN1062 METHYL BROMIDE with not more than 2% chloropicrin
Class 2.3
No packing group
SP 23 – Toxic by inhalation
ERAP required when 50L and more

Propane (capacity 180 L)
UN1978 Propane, odourized
Class 2.1
NO packing Group
SP 88
ERAP required when 3000L and more

Anhydrous ammonia  (capacity 40 L)
UN1005 Ammonia, anhydrous
Class 2.3 (8)
SP: 23, 158
ERAP required when 3000L and more

STEP 2 – Look up the special provision (SP) in the Schedule 2 for any specific information that must be provided in the TDG shipping document. For example, a technical name is required for UN1224. 
STEP 3 – Use a shipping document that has been authorized by the consignor and fill in the information. See a sample document that has lists the above information.

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?”