Proper Shipping Name

There are four types of proper shipping name entries, listed below in order of preference:

• Single entries for well-defined articles and substances (such as Kerosene UN 1223, and Isopropyl butyrate UN 2405)
• Generic entries for a well-defined group of articles and substances (such as Adhesives UN 1133; Organic peroxide, Type C, liquid UN 3103)
• Specific not otherwise specified (n.o.s.) entries covering a group of articles and substances of a particular chemical or technical nature (such as Refrigerant gas, n.o.s. UN 1078)
• General not otherwise specified (n.o.s.) entries covering a group of articles or substances that meet the criteria for one or more classes or divisions (such as Corrosive solid, n.o.s. UN 1759; Toxic liquid, organic, n.o.s. UN 2810)

The term n.o.s. is used to describe a substance that meets the classification of a dangerous good, but is not correctly described by a chemical name. For example, a mixture of two flammable liquids may be identified as "Flammable Liquid, n.o.s." If a star symbol (&##9733;) is included, then you must supplement the generic or n.o.s. proper shipping name by including the technical or chemical group name in parentheses immediately following the proper shipping name.

If you know the name of the article or substance, you can go directly to DGR 4.2 List of Dangerous Goods. If you do not know the name, but you know the UN or ID number, you can go to DGR 4.3 Numerical Cross-reference Index to find the proper shipping name and the relevant page number to the item in the List of Dangerous Goods.

Note that the absence of an article or substance from the List of Dangerous Goods does not mean that it is unrestricted.

To learn more about Function Specific topics for Shippers, Packers, Freight Forwarders visit our IATA DGR Shippers, Packers & Freight Forwarders Online Training web page.