Transportation of dangerous goods
The transportation of dangerous goods and other hazardous materials is strictly regulated on a national level, for obvious safety reasons.
Necessary criteria for drivers and vehicles
If you or anyone in your business is going to be transporting any dangerous or hazardous goods and materials in South Africa (the controlling authority), you will need to adhere to certain road and safety legal guidelines.
These laws are mapped out in following documents:
Community Fire and Safety By-law
Community Fire and Safety Amendment By-law
Community Fire and Safety Further Amendment By-law, 2015
National Road Traffic Act
As stipulated in the Community Fire and Safety By-law and Amendment By-law, and in terms of the National Road Traffic Act, an operator of a vehicle designed for the transportation of dangerous goods must have the following in place:
- Dangerous goods certificate – the certificate can only be issued by the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service Department
-
Roadworthy certificate
and dangerous goods registration disk in the vehicle
- Fire extinguishers and mounting brackets (SABS 810)
- Placard brackets and/or decals in correct positions (SABS 0232-1)
- Designated space for dangerous goods declarations and tremcards (SABS 0230)
- Design and construction of the tank are suitable for the substances being transported (tank manufacturers’ data plate and/or certificate in accordance with sans1398, 1518, 087-4, 089-1)
- Design and construction of the goods containment area are suitable for the substance being transported; see also SABS 0187 for fasteners and straps etc.
Visit the
SABS website for more information.
Classifying hazardous materials
Hazardous materials are materials that may have hazardous properties.
The City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service Department
categorise the following materials together under the title 'Hazardous Materials' or 'HAZMATS':
- Dangerous goods
- Hazardous substances
- Scheduled poisons
- Hazardous waste
- Environmental pollutants
Dangerous goods
Dangerous goods are substances that may be corrosive, flammable, explosive, spontaneously combustible, toxic, oxidising, radioactive, biological, water reactive or gases under pressure or liquefied.
Fast fact
Fuels such as petrol and LP gas make up the biggest volume of dangerous goods.
Hazardous substances
Hazardous substances are substances with the potential to harm your health. They can be gases, liquids or solids, and can be either pure substances or mixtures. Hazardous substances are classified according to their long term health effects, while dangerous goods are classified by their immediate physical and/or chemical effects.
Hazardous materials rating
Please contact the
Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services Department for more information about the
Hazardous materials rating sheet.
For information and regulations relating to the storage of dangerous goods, please see Storage of dangerous goods.
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