ADR stands for "Accord Dangereux Routier," which translates to "Road Dangerous Goods Agreement" in French. It is a set of norms and regulations created by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulating the transportation of hazardous chemicals by road (UNECE). ADR addresses the categorization, packaging, labeling, paperwork, and training requirements for safe road transport of hazardous goods. It is applicable to all countries that have signed the agreement, including the majority of Europe and many other countries across the world.
History
The treaty was ratified at the end of January 1968, despite being signed in Geneva in 1957. It is updated every two years to reflect the most recent technical and legal developments. All EU member states are parties to the agreement, and an EU directive gives the ADR legal standing. Along with Morocco, Tunisia, and some of the Central Asian nations that were formerly a part of the Soviet Union, all other European nations have also ratified the treaty. As of June 2017, there are 48 countries that are a part of the ADR treaty.
About the Term
ADR, or "The European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road," is an acronym for "Accord européen relatif au transport international des marchandises dangereuses par route." Almost everyone working in the transport sector, regardless of where they are from, is familiar with the meaning of the worldwide term ADR.
A heavy goods vehicle (HGV) driver must have a hazardous goods license in order to transport dangerous items. The ADR training certificate is the full name of this license and it automatically expires after five years.
Every business that delivers dangerous items on a regular basis needs to have a dangerous goods safety adviser. They are in charge of seeing that the business abides by the rules and commitments relating to dangerous goods. It is possible to determine whether a truck is hauling dangerous goods and what kind of commodities they are from the rear of the vehicle.