The Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Act promotes public safety and environmental health in the transportation of dangerous goods.

The University of British Columbia receives, prepares for transport and transports products every day that fall under the Canadian Transportation of Dangerous Good (TDG) Act and Regulations. This legislation regulates what may or may not be transported, how it is to be packaged, labeled, and the documentation required. Underlying this activity is the need for all persons who handle, offer for transport, or transport dangerous goods to be trained. This is a shared responsibility of the employer (University of British Columbia), supervisors, and employees.

In addition to the requirements of Transport Canada, separate authorizations (permits and licenses) may be required from international, federal and provincial regulators, or the Department of Risk Management Services. So, if the scope of your work at UBC requires at any time that you receive chemicals, radioisotopes, biohazardous materials or waste; ship these to other facilities on or off-campus; or carry them into the field for use in fieldwork, you must comply with the requirements of the TDG Act and Regulations.

Of Special Concern: Class 6.2 (Infectious Substances and Class 7 (Radioactive Materials)

A dangerous good is a product, substance, waste, or organism included by its nature or by the regulations in any of the nine classes listed in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations. These classes (similar to the WHMIS classes) include:

• Class 1: Eplosives
• Class 2: Compressed gases
• Class 3: Flammable liquids
• Class 4: Other flammable hazards
• Class 5: Oxygen rich material, oxidizers, and organic peroxides
• Class 6: Material affecting health, poisons and infectious substances
• Class 7: Radioactive material
• Class 8: Corrosive material e.g., acids and bases
• Class 9: Miscellaneous hazards, such as environmentally hazardous waste.

Transporting Chemicals and Hazardous Waste On Campus (UBC Vancouver, Point Grey)

Risk Management Services has developed guidelines to assist you in transporting dangerous goods around the UBC campus.  Please refer to the Laboratory Chemical Safety Manual, and the Transportation of Hazardous Materials on Campus guideline document for further information.  Please contact Noga Levit, Manager, Environmental Services at noga.levit@ubc.ca, if you have any questions.