The transport of dangerous goods from the ADR’s point of view does not start with the pure transport, there are already some responsible persons in the supply chain. Everyone has their own obligations to contribute to the success of the transport according to the legal provisions.
The principal of consignor (§§ 17, 27, 35 [DE] GGVSEB) commissions another company to ship dangerous goods. It may be that there are two departments of a company or company and its 3PL service provider.
The consignor (1.4.2.1 ADR, §§18, 27, 35ff [DE] GGVSEB) is the person named as the consignor in the transport contract. He can be the warehouse, a service provider or a freight forwarder. As a rule, the consignor also prepares the transport document. He is therefore also the contractual partner of the carrier.
The packer (1.4.3.2 ADR, §§22, 27 [DE] GGVSEB) must ensure that the goods are packed in accordance with the regulations. This is to prevent anything from happening during transport.
Then comes the shipper (1.4.3.1 ADR, §§21, 27, 29, 35 [DE] GGVSEB), who loads the goods safely onto a vehicle. It is thus handed over for transport. Only then does the dangerous goods leave the company and are physically moved.
The carrier (1.4.2.2 ADR, §§19, 27, 29, 35 [DE] GGVSEB) is the company that carries out the transport. It is the contractual partner of the sender.
The driver of the vehicle (§§4, 28, 29, 35 [DE] GGVSEB) is either an employee of the carrier. Then one speaks of the forwarder (carrier) in self-entry. Or he is a subcontractor who carries out the transport for the carrier.
When the transport is terminated, however, this does not yet refer to the transport of the goods. In this case, the duty of the unloader (1.4.3.7 ADR, §§23a, 27, 29 [DE] GGVSEB) and as recipient (1.4.2.3 ADR, §§20, 27, 29, 35 [DE] GGVSEB) also applies.
Here, for example, there is the possibility that a service provider unloads the dangerous goods from the vehicle and makes them available to the recipient.
The recipient also has his duty in the supply chain and must check the goods received. In the event of incorrect declaration or labelling, he must inform the sender of the error.