Can operator variations be less restrictive than the regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only for domestic transport
• D. Not specified

Answer: (B)

Safety standards for transporting dangerous goods are set as minimum requirements. Operator variations exist to tailor procedures to a specific operation or national context, but they cannot lower safety. Any variation must be approved by the competent authority and must keep or increase safety compared with the standard regulations. So operator variations cannot be less restrictive than the regulations; they must be as strict or stricter. For example, a variation might impose additional training or extra packaging checks, but it cannot permit looser packaging, labeling, or documentation than the DGR requires.