ADR, IMDG and IATA: which rules apply?

Dangerous Goods are substances and articles that may pose a risk to people, property or the environment during transport. International rules provide a common approach to identifying these hazards and set requirements for classification, packaging, marking, labelling, documentation, handling and training. The requirements vary by transport mode, so a shipment travelling by more than one mode must be checked against the rules for each part of its journey. UK Department for Transport

Road transport is governed by the ADR agreement, 

Rail transport is governed by RID. 

Sea transport, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code sets the requirements for packaged Dangerous Goods. 

Air transport is governed by the ICAO Technical Instructions; the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes Dangerous Goods Regulations based on those instructions for use by the airline industry.

Inland Waterways transport is governed by ADN 

Together, these frameworks help everyone in the transport chain prepare, carry and handle Dangerous Goods safely.