Dangerous Goods

TP 9554E
Volume 2

Advisory Notice
SHIPPING DOCUMENTS
What is a shipping document?
A shipping document is defined as a document that relates to dangerous goods that are being
handled, offered for transport and transported and that contains the information required by
Part 3, Documentation, relating to the goods but does not include an electronic record.

What is the purpose of a shipping document?

A shipping document identifies dangerous goods being handled, offered for transport or transported.
It provides the shipping name, class, UN number, packing group, quantity and other relevant
information. It also indicates the phone number where a person could provide technical information
on the dangerous goods and, in certain cases, the emergency response plan reference number and
the telephone number to activate the plan.

When is a shipping document required?

The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 and Part 3 of the Transportation of Dangerous
Goods (TDG) Regulations require that shipments of dangerous goods be accompanied by a shipping
document. Copies of the shipping document may be transmitted electronically to other parties
involved in the handling, offering for transport or transporting of dangerous goods but a paper copy
of the shipping document must accompany the dangerous goods at all times. The shipper must
complete the shipping document before the carrier takes possession of the dangerous goods and
give the completed document to the carrier. The carrier must, in turn, give the shipping document
to the next carrier until the dangerous goods arrive at destination.

Must a shipping document be on specific form?

There is no requirement to use a specific form. The only requirements that exists concerns
dangerous goods transported by aircraft. In these cases, the shipping document must show the
required information from the International Civil Aviation Organization Technical Instructions
(ICAO Technical Instructions) on a document that has, on the left and right margins, red hatchings
that are oriented to the left or to the right.

Are additional documents required?

Rail shipments require an additional document called a consist. A consist identifies numerically the
location of the railway vehicles that contain dangerous goods in a train. It is kept with the shipping
document (refer to section 3.3).
Are there any additional requirements pertaining to documentation?
The location of the documents, during transport, is specified for every mode of transport.
The shipping document must be kept for 2 years by the persons involved in the handling, offering
for transport or transporting dangerous goods (some exceptions apply). The documents may be
stored electronically.
Transport Transports
Canada Canada
Are there any circumstances where a shipping document is not required?
A shipping document may not be required where the TDG Regulations have provided relief from
documentation. These exemptions from documentation may be found in some Special Cases in
Part 1, (i.e. limited quantities) and Special Provisions in Schedule 2 (i.e. Special Provision 32 for
molten sulphur).

How must the UN number be displayed on a shipping document when

describing the dangerous goods?
The TDG Regulations states that, the UN number required in the description of each of the
dangerous goods may be included in the shipping document either after the class or before the
shipping name. For example:

GASOLINE, Class 3, UN1203, PG II; or

UN1203, GASOLINE, Class 3, UN1203, PG II

It is important to note that the UN number must always be placed before the shipping name on
shipping documents required by the ICAO Technical instructions or by the IMDG Code.

Must the date shown on the shipping document be different than the actual shipping
date?
The TDG Regulations states that the date shown on a shipping document corresponds to the date
the shipping document or an electronic copy of it was prepared or was first given to a carrier. It is
wrong to think that the date of actual shipping date must always appear on the shipping document.

Carriers may travel long distances and their trips may last for days or weeks at a time. The shipping
document remains valid during this period as long as the information on the shipping document
remains accurate.

For example, a carrier delivering propane can prepare a ‘permanent’ shipping document and use
it indefinitely. In that case, if the quantity of dangerous goods or the number of small means of
containment changes during transport, the carrier must show on the shipping document or on a
document attached to the shipping document the change in the quantity of dangerous goods or the
number of small means of containment.
How about international shipments?
The TDG Regulations permit shipping documents to be prepared in accordance with other
Regulations for international shipments. However, refer to the Transportation of Dangerous
Goods Regulations for additional requirements to be included on the document, such as emergency
response plan information.
• For international marine shipments: The consignor may complete the shipping document
in accordance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code),
and certain requirements from Part 11, Marine of the TDG Regulations.
• For international road or rail shipments from the United States: The consignor may
complete the shipping document in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations,
Title 49 (CFR 49) and certain requirements from Part 9, Road, and Part 10, Rail of
the TDG Regulations.

The attached sample shipping document can be used for most Canadian shipments of
dangerous goods.

2
This advisory notice provides a general outline of the documentation requirements.
For specific information, the Act and Regulations must be consulted.

SHIPPING DOCUMENT
Destination(City-Town) Consignor
Name: Name:
Address: Address:

Name of carrier Prepaid Collect Transport unit no.

Point of origin Shipping date Shipper’s no.

REGULATED DANGEROUS GOODS 24 HOUR NUMBER :

ERP reference & telephone number :

Shipping name Class Class UN Packing Quantity Packages

(technical name) if applicable primary subsi- number group requiring
diary labels

THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ARTICLES ARE PROPERLY CLASSIFIED, DESCRIBED, PACKAGED, MARKED
AND LABELLED AND ARE IN PROPER CONDITION FOR TRANSPORTATION ACCORDING TO THE TRANSPORTATION OF
DANGEROUS GOODS REGULATIONS

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

NON REGULATED GOODS

Packages Description of articles Weight

Received in apparent good order

Consignee’s signature Shipper’s signature
Received above in apparent good Driver’s signature Drivers’ no.
order

Please note that this sample shipping document contains some information that is not required in the
TDG Regulations. The additional information, however, reflects current industry practices.