Proper Shipping Names, UN/ID Numbers & Technical Name Rules

Proper Shipping Names, UN/ID Numbers & Technical Name Rules

Accurate identification is the cornerstone of safe dangerous goods air transport. The Proper Shipping Name (PSN) and numerical identification number uniquely identify hazardous substances across international borders, ensuring that pilots, cargo handlers, emergency responders, and regulators immediately understand the precise hazards present. DGR Section 4.1 and Section 4.2 set forth strict, non-negotiable rules governing PSN selection, typography, technical name additions, and numeric classification.

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1. Defining the Proper Shipping Name (PSN)

The Proper Shipping Name (PSN) is the official legal designation assigned to a dangerous good in Section 4.2 Column B. It must be used on all transport documentation (such as the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods) and marked on outer package surfaces.

Typography Rules in Column B

Section 4.2 Column B uses precise typographic conventions that shippers must interpret correctly:

• Bold Type: Represents the official, mandatory Proper Shipping Name. Only the characters set in bold — including any numbers, punctuation, or Greek letters that are themselves bold — form the legal PSN. Example: In Acetone, the PSN is Acetone.
• Light Type: Descriptive or qualifying wording that helps identify the chemical but is not part of the PSN and must not be carried onto the transport document or package marking. Example: In Paint including paint, lacquer, enamel, stain, shellac, varnish, the legal PSN is simply Paint.
• Capitalisation is not the test: The DGR identifies the PSN by typeface (bold versus light), not by upper or lower case. Writing the name in capitals on the declaration is acceptable, but never use capitalisation to decide which words belong to the name — that habit is imported from the IMDG Code and ADR, whose lists genuinely are printed in capitals, and it causes real declarations to be rejected.
• Bold qualifiers must be kept: Where a qualifying word such as solution or stabilized is printed in bold, it forms part of the PSN and must be shown.

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2. Technical Names & Generic / n.o.s. Entries

Not all chemical compounds or commercial mixtures are listed by individual chemical names in Section 4.2. To accommodate millions of proprietary formulations, the DGR provides generic entries (e.g., ADHESIVES) and Not Otherwise Specified (n.o.s.) entries (e.g., FLAMMABLE LIQUID, N.O.S.).

The Star Symbol (*) Requirement

When a generic or n.o.s. entry in Column B is marked with an asterisk symbol (*), DGR Section 4.1.2.1 mandates that the PSN must be supplemented with a recognized technical name or chemical group name enclosed in parentheses.

                                  +------------------------------------+ 
                                  | Column B PSN with Star Symbol (*)  | 
                                  |  e.g., FLAMMABLE LIQUID, N.O.S.*   | 
                                  +------------------------------------+ 
                                                    | 
                                                    v 
                                  +------------------------------------+ 
                                  | Add Recognized Technical Name in   | 
                                  | Parentheses on Document & Package  | 
                                  +------------------------------------+ 
                                                    | 
                                                    v 
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 
| Correct Marking & Documentation PSN: FLAMMABLE LIQUID, N.O.S. (contains Acetone and Isopropanol)       | 
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ 

Rules for Valid Technical Names

• Recognized Chemical Identity: The technical name must be a recognized chemical or biological name, or a recognized technical name published in scientific manuals (e.g., caprylyl chloride, isopropanol, toluene).
• Trade Names Prohibited: Commercial brand names or proprietary trade names (e.g., SuperCleaner 5000 or Formula X) are strictly forbidden as technical names.
• Multi-Hazard Mixtures: If a mixture contains two hazardous components contributing to the primary or subsidiary risk, both technical names must be shown in parentheses (e.g., CORROSIVE LIQUID, N.O.S. (contains caprylyl chloride and silicon tetrachloride)).

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3. UN Numbers vs. ID Numbers

Column A of Section 4.2 lists numerical identifiers that accompany the Proper Shipping Name:

UN Numbers (United Nations Numbers)

• Four-digit integers assigned by the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
• Universally recognized across all transport modes (Air, Sea, Rail, Road).
• Prefixed with the letters 'UN' on packages and documents (e.g., UN 1090 for Acetone, UN 1263 for Paint).

ID Numbers (Identification Numbers)

• Four-digit numbers in the 8000 series assigned by ICAO and IATA specifically for air transport entries not yet assigned a UN number.
• Prefixed with the letters 'ID' on packages and documentation.
• Classic Example: ID 8000 Consumer Commodity (Class 9), used for retail packaged consumer items (such as perfumes, aerosols, and medicines) shipped under reduced air transport packaging provisions.

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4. Proper Shipping Name Selection Hierarchy

When identifying a substance or commercial product, shippers must follow a mandatory four-tier selection hierarchy to determine the correct PSN:

Shippers must never jump to a general Level 4 n.o.s. entry if a specific Level 1 or Level 2 PSN accurately describes the material!