Dangerous Goods Safety
Resources Safety administers the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA) and associated Dangerous Goods Safety Regulations 2007 (WA) covering the safe storage, handling and transport of dangerous goods and for related purposes.
Note that although some guidance material was prepared under the auspices of previous departments and divisions, it is still valid.
Please be aware, however, that our address and contact details may have changed. The Cloisters Square postal address must not be used for correspondence.
Page Index
Information sheets on dangerous goods legislation
Codes of practice (mandatory) - Storage and Handling
Codes of practice (mandatory) - Transport
Codes of practice and Standards (mandatory) - Explosives and Fireworks
Codes of practice and Standards (approved) - Storage and Handling
Information sheets on dangerous goods legislation
The Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 (WA) and associated regulations replaced the Explosives and Dangerous Goods Act 1961 (WA), Dangerous Goods (Transport) Act 1998 (WA) and associated regulations on 1 March 2008.
The following documents provide general information on the dangerous goods safety legislation.
Copies of Act and regulations
Copies of the Act and associated regulations are only available from the State Law Publisher. Direct links are provided below.
- Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Storage and Handling of Non-Explosives) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Road and Rail Transport of Non-Explosives) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Explosives) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Security Risk Substances) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (Goods in Ports) Regulations 2007
- Dangerous Goods Safety (General) Regulations 2007.
Codes of practice (mandatory) - Storage and Handling
The following codes are mandatory under the dangerous goods safety storage and handling regulations and provide safety and/or security instructions.
Codes of practice (mandatory) - Transport
The Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG7) is available from the National Transport Commission.
Codes of practice and Standards (mandatory) - Explosives and Fireworks
The following Codes of practice and Standards provide safety and/or security recommendations. The codes have been approved and gazetted by the Minister under section 20 of the Act. The asterisked codes are published by Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group Inc. (formerly Australian Explosives Manufacturers Safety Committee) and are made available here with permission. The latest edition of all AEISG codes are now available at www.aeisg.org including two new codes:
AEIG Code of Good Practice, Blast Guarding in an Open Cut Mining Environment Edition 1 March 2011
Prevention and Management of Blast Generated Nox Gases in Surface Blasting
The Australian Dangerous Goods Code (ADG7) is available from the National Transport Commission.
The Australian Explosives Code (AEC3) is available from Safe Work Australia.
The following Standards are available from SAI Global:
- AS 2187.0 - Explosives - Storage, transport and use - Terminology
- AS 2187.1 - Explosives - Storage, transport and use – Storage
- AS 2187.2 - Explosives - Storage and use - Use of explosives.
Codes of practice and Standards (approved) - Storage and Handling
The following Standards and Codes of Practice provide safety and/or security recommendations. They have been approved and gazetted by the Minister under section 20 of the Act.
The following Standards are available from SAI Global:
- AS/NZS 1020: The control of undesirable static electricity
- AS 1210: Pressure vessels
- AS 1345: Identification of the contents of pipes, conduits and ducts
- AS 1375: Industrial fuel-fired appliances [known as the SAA industrial fuel-fired appliances code]
- AS 1530.4: Methods for fire tests on building materials, components and structures - Fire-resistance test of elements of construction
- AS/NZS 1596: The storage and handling of LP gas
- AS/NZS 1677.2: Refrigerating systems – Part 2: Safety requirements for fixed applications
- AS 1692: Steel tanks for flammable and combustible liquids
- AS 1697: Installation and maintenance of steel pipe systems for gas
- AS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
- AS/NZS 1768: Lightning protection
- AS/NZS 1850: Portable fire extinguishers - Classification, rating and performance testing
- AS/NZS 1851: Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment [all Parts]
- AS 1894: The storage and handling of non-flammable cryogenic and refrigerated liquids
- AS 1915: Electrical equipment for explosive atmospheres - Battery-operated vehicle
- AS 1939 Supp 1: Degrees of protection provided by enclosures for electrical equipment [IP Code]
- AS 1940:2004: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids [Note that subsection 11.2(b) of AS 1940 does not apply as it is in conflict with Regulation 73 —”Fire Protection” of the Dangerous Goods Safety (Storage and Handling of Non-explosives) Regulations 2007]
- AS/NZS 2022: Anhydrous ammonia - Storage and handling
- AS 2106: Methods for the determination of the flash point of flammable liquids (closed cup)
- AS 2118: Automatic fire sprinkler systems
- AS 2337: Gas cylinder test stations (all parts)
- AS 2359: Powered industrial trucks (all parts), including part 12 Hazardous areas
- AS/NZS 2430.3: Classification of hazardous areas - Examples of area classification [all Parts]
- AS 2441: Installation of fire hose reels
- AS 2507: The storage and handling of agricultural and veterinary chemicals
- AS 2714: The storage and handling of hazardous chemical materials - Class 5.2 substances (organic peroxides)
- AS 2832: Cathodic protection of metals [all Parts]
- AS 2885: Pipelines - Gas and liquid petroleum [all Parts]
- AS 2896: Medical gas systems - Installation and testing of non-flammable medical gas pipeline systems
- AS/NZS 2906: Fuel containers - Portable-plastic and metal
- AS/NZS 2927: The storage and handling of liquefied chlorine gas
- AS 3780: The storage and handling of corrosive substances
- AS/NZS 3788: Pressure equipment - In-service inspection
- AS/NZS 3833: The storage and handling of mixed classes of dangerous goods, in packages and intermediate bulk containers
- AS 3873: Pressure equipment – Operation and maintenance
- AS 396:1 The storage and handling of liquefied natural gas
- AS 3978: Non-destructive testing – visual inspection of metal products and components
- AS 4041: Pressure piping
- AS/NZS 4081: The storage and handling of liquid and liquefied polyfunctional isocyanates
- AS 4289: Oxygen and acetylene gas reticulation systems
- AS 4326: The storage and handling of oxidizing agents [Note that AS 4326 is not applicable to solid ammonium nitrate. For the safe storage of solid ammonium nitrate, please refer to Resources Safety’s code of practice - document provided above]
- AS 4332: The storage and handling of gases in cylinders
- AS/NZS 4452: The storage and handling of toxic substances
- AS/NZS 4681: Storage and handling of class 9 (miscellaneous) dangerous goods and articles
- AS/NZS 4745: Code of practice for handling combustible dusts
- AS/NZS 1716: Respiratory protective devices
- AS 2337: Gas cylinder test stations - General requirements, inspection and tests - Gas cylinders [all Parts]
- AS 2359: Powered industrial trucks [all Parts, including Part 12 Hazardous areas]
- AS 3873: Pressure equipment - Operation and maintenance
- AS 3978: Non-destructive testing - Visual inspection of metal products and components
- AS 4839: The safe use of portable and mobile oxy-fuel gas systems for welding, cutting, heating and allied processes
- AS 4971: Inspection and integrity monitoring of large steel vertical petroleum storage tanks
- AS 4976: The removal and disposal of underground petroleum storage tanks
- AS 4977: Petroleum products – Pipelines, road tanker compartment and underground tank identification
- AS 4979: Flammable and combustible liquids – Precautions against electrostatic ignition during tank vehicle loading
- AS 5092: CNG refuelling stations
- AS/NZS ISO 31000: Risk management – Principles and guidelines
- AS/NZS 60079.10.1: Explosive atmospheres – Classification of areas – Explosive gas atmospheres
- AS/NZS 60079: Electrical apparatus for explosive gas atmospheres (all parts)
- AS 61508: Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems (all parts)
- AS IEC 61511.1: Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector – Framework, definitions, systems, hardware and software requirements
- AS IEC 61511.2: Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector – Guidelines for the application of AS IEC 61511.1
- AS IEC 61511.3: Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector – Guidance for the determination of the required safety integrity levels
The following Standards are available from American Petroleum Institute (API):
- API 579-1/ASME FFS-1: Fitness for service
- API RP580: Risk- based inspection
- API RP581: Risk- based inspection technologyAPI STD 620: Design and construction of large, welded, low-pressure storage tanks
- API STD 650: Welded steel tanks for oil storage
- API RP 652: Linings of aboveground petroleum storage tank bottoms
- API STD 653: Tank inspection, repair, alteration and reconstruction
- API RP752: Management of hazards associated with location of process plant permanent buildings.
The following Standard is available from Petroleum Industry Contractors Association:
- RP 001/1995: Recommended practices for installation of underground liquid storage systems.
The following Standard is published by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and available from COMM 2000:
- UL 971 Standard for nonmetallic underground piping for flammable liquids.
The Code of practice for NGV refuelling stations AG 901-1996 is available from SAI Global.
Codes of practice (approved) - Explosives and Fireworks
General exemptions
The Minister has issued the following general exemption from the provisions of the Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 concerning the requirement to hold a Dangerous Goods Security Card.
The Chief Officer has given an Exemption to transporters of mineral ores and concentrates of UN 3077 from the duty to licence dangerous goods vehicles and drivers. (PDF 154 kb)
Determinations
Enforcement and prosecution policy
The Enforcement and prosecution policy applies to those Acts and regulations administered by Resources Safety that relate to mining occupational safety and health and dangerous goods safety.
The primary focus of much of the legislation administered by Resources Safety is to ensure resources development in Western Australia is carried out in a way that is safe for employees and the public.
The legislation provides a range of enforcement and prosecution measures to help achieve this. When required, enforcement or prosecution action is taken in the public interest to protect people and the environment.
