Following the basic concepts of SAP S/4HANA for product compliance, the compliance view carries all compliance information in the solution area of dangerous goods. It has products in the product master assigned to facilitate the integrated processing of compliance checks or output of compliance information in value chain processes.
From the perspective of an enterprise that sells dangerous goods products to customers, there are two major processes resulting from dangerous goods regulations:
- Identification and classification of products with:
- Identification of the unpackaged product.
- Application of packaging or enclosure variants, optionally special provisions to complete dangerous goods classification.
- Applying provisions for transport, such as:
- Dangerous goods documentation.
- Marking text and labelling.
In SAP S/4HANA for product compliance, dangerous goods compliance requirements are the digital representation of dangerous goods regulations, which are provided with system-embedded regulatory content.
The enterprise is responsible for activating dangerous goods compliance requirements relevant to its businesses. Compliance requirements must be activated and assigned to transport compliance purposes to make compliance requirements available for assessments. Transport compliance purposes are often defined in relation to regional aspects.
The United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations can be a baseline for all dangerous goods regulations. Regarding the details, each dangerous goods regulation has a specific structure and content.
Consequently, compliance requirements representing dangerous goods regulations have underlying, regulation-specific, compliance patterns, but with some similarities. Central parts of all dangerous goods compliance requirements include, for example, the dangerous goods list for identification and basic classification, as well as the list for enclosure-specific classification.
Another aspect of applying dangerous goods regulations is functionalities, which support integrated dangerous goods processing, such as generating dangerous goods information output. Dangerous goods compliance patterns comprise regulation-specific logic to support functionalities related to dangerous goods information on documents, marking, and labelling.
The following video presents the compliance patterns for Dangerous Goods.
Compliance Patterns for Dangerous Goods
The following outlines the content provided with system-embedded dangerous goods compliance requirements.
Compliance patterns for dangerous goods provide an outline comprised of the five main sections, which underlie the compliance requirement versions:
The first two sections provide administrative information, the compliance requirement version header, and details of the regulation.
The following three sections provide data, which is processed in the assessments of unpackaged and packaged products:
- Dangerous goods-specific details.
- Dangerous goods lists.
- Output details.
Most dangerous goods regulations are updated regularly. To manage these updates and have an exact view of the regulations that are valid at any point in time, compliance requirement versions represent the dangerous goods regulations. When new regulations are published, corresponding new compliance requirement versions are provided in the system as embedded regulatory content.
Activate Compliance Requirements - Dangerous Goods App
The dangerous goods specialist is accountable for activating new compliance requirement versions and evaluating related existing dangerous goods classifications.
The Activate Compliance Requirements - Dangerous Goods app allows you to view the dangerous goods compliance requirement versions being:
- New or updated compliance requirements require confirmation, and new compliance requirements can be activated.
- Active - active compliance requirements can be deactivated if no longer required for assessment.
- Inactive - inactive compliance requirements can be reactivated, but compliance requirement versions in historical status cannot be activated again.
This app provides versions of all the dangerous goods compliance requirements at your fingertips. From here, you can navigate to the details of a dangerous goods compliance requirement.
Reviewing the details of a dangerous goods compliance requirement version, you can see all the information provided with the system as embedded regulatory content.
On the header level, the most essential information is:
- Version name - this uniquely identifies the version.
- Content provider - for all system-embedded content, this is SAP SE.
- Maintenance status - all system embedded content has a status of released. This cannot be changed; the same applies to all content.
- The effective date and end of transition are important for updating existing assessments to a new version.
Regulation details provide additional editorial information on the regulation, underlying the compliance requirement.
Dangerous goods-specific details are comprised of the following.
Required languages for documents - any output generated from assessments is available in the provided languages. When processing the output in integrated dangerous goods processing, rules apply to the output information of dangerous goods in languages applicable to the current business transaction.
For example, in ADR regulations, dangerous goods information must be output in the language of the country/region of departure and additionally, if not already given, in one of the three official ADR languages, which are English, French, and German.
Qualifying words, prefix or suffix - qualifying words can be added to the description of dangerous goods when processing the assessment of the unpackaged product. Qualifying words must be added in case the dangerous good product is transported under specific conditions, such as hot, molten, or stabilized.
Enclosure variants - this provides a collection of how dangerous goods products can be packaged or enclosed, ranging from the smallest quantities, such as de minimis, excepted, or limited quantities, to packaging, intermediate bulk containers, and large packaging, including bulk containers and portable tanks. The enclosure variant is applied when assessing the packaged product.
Regarding the IMDG regulations (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code), segregation groups are another essential component of the specific details for dangerous goods. While UN numbers are directly assigned to segregation groups, the assignment of product-specific segregation groups must be evaluated additionally when assessing the unpackaged product.
Segregation groups are defined in IMDG Section 7.2.5 and are assigned in the Dangerous Goods List.
Besides these UN-number-assigned segregation groups, additional segregation groups are required. These additional segregation groups supplement the UN-number assigned segregation groups.
When processing the identification of dangerous goods products in the assessment of the unpackaged products for the IMDG regulations, you must evaluate whether it is required to assign product-specific segregation groups. In this case, the additional segregation groups must be available for product assignment.
Dangerous goods lists are central to processing assessments of unpackaged and packed dangerous goods products.
The basic classification of dangerous goods is used to identify dangerous goods products when assessing unpackaged products. The dangerous goods product is determined by assigning one line from the dangerous goods list. This means an identification number, most frequently the so-called 4-digit UN number, and, where applicable, a packing group, which characterizes the hazard grade.
The following dangerous goods lists are also processed to assess the unpackaged product.
The organic peroxides list and the self-reactive substances list support assessing the unpackaged product based on specific substances in the product's analytical composition. Only substances assigned to these lists are permitted to be transported.
For specific regulations, there can be additional lists, for example:
Under the IMDG regulations (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code), marine pollutant substances must be identified and included in the description of dangerous goods. In assessing the unpackaged product, the list of marine pollutant substances is checked against the product's analytical substance to support the identification of any marine pollutant substances contained in the product and thus subject to disclosure.
Regarding the CFR 49 regulations, which are applicable in the United States of America, there is a list of reportable quantities. Substances assigned to this list carry a mass threshold. Suppose the dangerous goods product contains a substance on the list, and the net quantity threshold of this substance is exceeded for the enclosure applied to the packaged product. In that case, the substance must be added to the description of dangerous goods to be disclosed in documents. In addition, the reportable quantities label must be applied. The resulting calculation and label determination logic is part of the 49 CFR compliance pattern, which is processed in both assessment steps:
- Identifying reportable quantities of relevant substances is processed when assessing the unpackaged product.
- Calculation of the net quantity, check against the threshold, and logic for label determination are processed in the assessment of the packaged product.
The enclosure-specific classification list comprises the enclosure variants available for the identified dangerous goods product. This means that, depending on the given hazards and inherent risks, only a subset of the regulation's enclosure variants may be available. The enclosure-specific classification list underlies the assessment of the packaged product in relation to the specific enclosure variant applied.
Description templates serve to output information on dangerous goods. Description templates are comprised of four segments:
- Dangerous goods description;
- Dangerous goods package and quantity information;
- Hazard Notes / Additional information.
These three segments are primarily used for output on transport documents.
Marking text - beside hazard and handling labels, this text must be applied to packages containing dangerous goods.
The segments include placeholders for the output of data gathered during the dangerous goods assessments, such as the basic description of the dangerous goods. Depending on regulatory requirements, data from the product's properties can be included; for example, the flashpoint for flammable liquids must be output according to certain regulations.
These placeholders also ensure that texts are output in the necessary languages.
Selection rules are utilized to determine the suitable description template. There are two sets of selection rules:
- Exemption-specific selection rules - these are applied in case an exemption or special provision is used to assess the packaged product.
- General selection rules - these rules primarily follow the enclosure variant applied in the assessment of the packaged product.
The image below serves as an example of a resolved placeholder.
When information about dangerous goods is generated, exemption-specific output precedes general output.
The following parameters are available to define selection rules for exemption-specific selection rules:
- Exemption;
- Class / Division;
- UN Number;
- Classified as "No Dangerous Good" or "Dangerous Good";
- Exemption category: this is the basis for grouping similar exemptions for multiple dangerous goods regulations.
With these rules, the applicable description template and, if required, the exemption phrase, which must be applied to the output of dangerous goods information, are determined during the automated output generation process to assess the packaged product.
Based on applied exemption categories, the respective enclosure variant in the assessment of the packaged product, selection rules are utilized to derive the output of dangerous goods information.
General selection rules for description templates relate to the following parameters:
- Enclosure Variant - when classifying the packaged product, you must apply an enclosure variant.
- Mode of Transport - this can be relevant for regulations that affect multiple modes of transport. For example, the output for an inland waterway can differ from that for a road or rail.
- Class / Division.
- UN Number.
- Classified as - dangerous goods or non-dangerous goods.
The rules built upon these parameters are utilized to determine the applicable description template for the output of dangerous goods information on documents and the generation of the marking text, which must be applied to packaging. The applicable description template is determined when assessing packaged dangerous goods products.
Let's Summarize What You've Learned
Dangerous goods compliance requirements are digital representations of regulations, managed as versions in SAP S/4HANA for product compliance.
Compliance patterns provide regulation-specific logic, supporting assessments, documentation, and labelling dangerous goods products.
Dangerous goods lists and enclosure variants guide the identification, classification, and packaging of dangerous goods during compliance checks.
Output details and selection rules ensure regulatory information and markings are generated correctly for documentation and transport.
Specialists activate and update compliance requirement versions to keep regulatory content current and aligned with business needs.