Supervisory authorities
In order to ensure that regulations on the transport of dangerous goods are observed the government has in the Transport of Dangerous Goods Ordinance identified a number of authorities with supervisory responsibilities.
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB)
MSB has supervisory responsibility for safety advisers for all forms of transport modes, transportable pressure equipment and transport security.
The Swedish Police
The Swedish Police has supervisory responsibility for the road transport of dangerous goods.
Swedish Transport Agency
The Swedish Transport Agency has supervisory responsibility for the air, sea, and rail transport of dangerous goods.
Swedish Coast Guard
The Swedish Coast Guard has supervisory responsibility within harbours and, on the Swedish Transport Agency’s request, on maritime transport of dangerous goods.
Swedish Radiation Safety Authority
The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is the supervisory authority for carriage of radioactive material (class 7) on road, rail, at sea and in air.
Other authorities
In addition to the authorities identified in the Transport of Dangerous Goods Ordinance, there are several other authorities whose areas of responsibility and operation are related to the transport of dangerous goods.
Moreover, there is a strong connection to one of MSB's other operational areas, namely the handling of flammables and explosives.
Swedish Chemicals Agency
The Swedish Chemicals Agency is the expert authority for the health and environmentally hazardous characteristics of chemicals and is responsible for the supervision of manufacturers and importers of chemicals.
The Public Health Agency of Sweden
The Public Health Agency of Sweden is the expert authority tasked with monitoring the epidemiological situation in the event of communicable diseases among people and for promoting protection against such diseases.
Swedish Work Environment Authority
The Swedish Work Environment Authority works to reduce the risks of illness and accidents in the workplace and to improve the working environment from a holistic perspective.
UN and OTIF and the transport of dangerous goods
Swedish regulation of the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail is based on international agreements set by the UN and OTIF.
The United Nations is responsible for the agreement on road transport (ADR), while the intergovernmental organisation OTIF is responsible for the corresponding agreement concerning rail transport (RID). MSB is actively involved in the development of agreements by, for example, participating on the various committees and working groups that discuss, alter and set the agreements.
UN Model Regulations
UN Model Regulations form the basis for the development of regulations for the transport of dangerous goods, regardless of transport mode.
The model regulations represent the global orientation for how the rules should be formulated and structured. Among other things, the focus for the classification of dangerous goods, and the demand for inclusions and labeling.
The regulations are continuously being developed and are set by an expert committee of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and two subcommittees of the expert committee.
The MSB and the Swedish Chemicals Agency represent Sweden on these committees.