A Dangerous Goods licence is required when a site stores or handles dangerous goods in quantities exceeding the Manifest Quantity. The Manifest Quantity varies depending on the class of DG being stored, and are defined in the Dangerous Goods Safety (Storage and Handling of Dangerous Goods) Regulations. To find out if a DG licence is required for your site, simply ask a Dangerous Goods Consultant who can often provide an answer within a short phone call.

For explosives and Security Sensitive Ammonium Nitrate (SSAN), a licence is generally required for any amount. This includes: 

• Manufacture;
• Import/ export;
• Transport;
• Storage; and 
• Use.

In Western Australia, a DG licence is obtained by an accredited consultant submitting an endorsed application to DEMIRS, following the completion of a compliance assessment to the DG Regulations and the approved Codes of Practice.

The DG Storage and Handling Regulations are a set of guidelines that are published by each of the states and territories within Australia. These list the requirements that each DG storage facility must meet in their given location.

A DG compliance assessment is a check of the DG storage depot/s against the Regulations to determine what compliance documentation is required for a site; then (if required) a review of the design, construction and operation of a DG facility is undertaken against the Regulations and approved Codes of Practice. 

The DG Regulations require that a compliance assessment be performed for a DG storage and handling facility regardless of the quantity being stored. For licensed facilities, these assessments must be renewed every 5 years, or sooner if there’s a change to the storage arrangement or if an incident occurs at the site. The 5-year validity of a compliance assessment is fully independent of the Dangerous Goods Licence, meaning that a compliance assessment may need to be revised prior to the site’s DG licence expiring.

Dangerous Goods include substances that are explosive, flammable, corrosive, or toxic. They can kill or injure workers, and can seriously damage property and the environment. It’s a requirement in every state and territory in Australia that dangerous goods are stored and handled safely. Businesses that don’t meet this requirement are exposed to penalties under the applicable regulatory authorities, have a higher risk of a DG incident occurring, and may even find that their insurance policies are void.

An experienced Dangerous Goods Consultant helps to make things easier and safer for their client. Clients can best utilise a DG Consultant to:

• Understand legal responsibilities;
• Identify and minimise risks;
• Provide guidance; 
• Obtain your licence faster.