Class 9 - Miscellaneous items and materials

With eight other hazard classes to choose from some people wonder why a ninth class is needed. Basically Class 9 contains items that simply do not meet the exact criteria of the other classes but still pose a risk.

The classic example is asbestos.

It is widely known that this material can cause lung disease and death. However, this may be many years after exposure, and not everyone who was exposed will become ill. Asbestos will not meet the criteria to be toxic - you can eat it, rub it on your skin or inhale the dust for hours at a time and suffer no ill effects, but it's potential long term effects must be considered, therefore it is placed in Class 9. To see how RoadSafe can assist you with asbestos removal from the work place, click HERE.

Other items are placed in Class 9 as the single unit may contain several items of different hazard classes.

Consider the life-rafts in the picture above. They may contain a gas cylinder to inflate them (Class 2.2), batteries (Class 8) for radios and locating beacons, distress flares (Class 1), fuel (Class 3) and medical kits containing medicines, disinfectants etc (Classes 3, 6.1 and 5.2).

Other materials under Class 9 include:

• Dusts that may pose a health hazard.

• Genetically modified organisms.

• Lithium batteries.

• Items giving off flammable fumes.

• Fumigated shipping containers.

• Elevated temperature materials.

• Pollutant materials and other environmentally hazardous substances.

This last entry is becoming increasingly more important. Materials which pose a hazard to marine environments must have additional "Marine Pollutant" labels attached under the IMDG code, click HERE to view an example of this label.

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