Posted By Mike Palfrey
If you wish to benefit from the exemption of some of the requirements of the ADR Regulations (i.e. the obligation to have Orange Plates, High visibility vests, wheel chocks, Tremcards, Torches, PPE, etc., etc. (and if the vehicle exceeds 3.5 Tonnes, to have a driver who holds the appropriate Vocational Training Certificate), you must determine, for each trip, if the quantity of cylinders carried exceeds the “minimum quantity thresholds”. Namely the “1000 points rule”. See ADR 2003 or 2005 section 1.1.3.6
The full ADR Regulations only apply if your cylinder load exceeds this quantity threshold.
Put simply, each cylinder, depending on the hazardous nature of it contents (flammable, toxic, etc.) is worth a set number of points that must be added together for each load to establish the total number of points being carried on that journey. The total value must be less than 1000 points for the exemptions to apply.
So, put simply, flammable gas is worth 3 points per litre or per Kilo and non-flammable, non toxic gas is worth 1 point per litre or per Kilo
Generally, the volume of compressed gases are taken as the water capacity of the cylinder, liquefied gases are taken as the weight of product in KG
A cylinder containing 47 KG of Propane (flammable) is worth 3 x 47 or 141 points
A cylinder containing 50 Litres of Oxygen (non-flammable, non toxic ) is worth 1 x 50 or 50 points, a cylinder containing 30 litres of Nitrogen is worth 30 points.
Add up the points value for all the gases being carried and if less than 1000 points – the Regs do not apply.
Simple eh?
Hope this helps, please contact me for more info if you need it
Cheers
Mike