In this series, we are trying to help road hauliers and drivers to comply with the rules related to the transport of dangerous goods by road more easily.
In the first part, we will help you prepare for the transport of dangerous goods by road. We will look at what you need to pay attention to when you are assigned to transport dangerous goods.
The first and most important thing is to identify exactly what dangerous goods you have been assigned to transport.
This is where many companies make their first mistake. Often the order does not contain enough information about the dangerous goods. Or if it does, no one checks under what conditions or if the transport task can be carried out at all.
Just a few questions that can cause serious problems.
- Is there a driver who has the appropriate ADR certificate for the transport?
- Can the dangerous goods be transported by road and if so, under what conditions?
- What kind of packaging is it in and what tools are needed for proper lashing.
- In the case of multimodal or intermodal transport, the rules of the other mode of transport were considered by the consignor or not.
- Appropriate documents and their completion.
- Marking of transport units.
- And much more.
So, the first and most important thing is to prepare properly for the transport of dangerous goods. At this stage worth involving a dangerous goods safety adviser. Especially if we are transporting goods that we have not transported before.
What should be checked after the order, once we know exactly what dangerous goods we will be transporting.
Before departure: (still on site):
- Documents:
- Valid ADR certificate (if required)
- Photo ID (valid driving license or passport)
- Instructions in writing (in the language of the crew)
- Safety plan (for high-consequence dangerous goods)
- Certificate of approval (EX, FL, AT for tanks or BK for bulk goods)
- Vehicle marking:
- Orange plate
- ADR placards, if required
- Pre-departure inspection:
- Proper condition and cleanliness of vehicle and equipment (cleaning certificate for tanks)
- Validity of tank inspections
- -Periodic inspection
- -Intermediate inspection
- Driver personal protective equipment (for each member of the vehicle crew):
- Hi-vis clothing (EN standard)
- A pair of protective gloves
- Portable lighting apparatus (ATEX standard)
- 2.3 or 6.1 label (toxic substance) respiratory protection mask
- For labels 3, 4.1, 4.3, 8, 9 (solids and liquids) shovel, drain seal and collection container.
- eyewash liquid (not required for danger label number 1, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6, 2.1, 2.3.
- safety glasses (eye protection)
- Vehicle equipment:
- Fire extinguishers (over 7.5 T maximum permissible gross weight, minimum 12 kg total capacity, of which one is at least 6kg and one is a minimum 2kg fire extinguisher for extinguishing a cabin fire)
- Wheel chocks for each vehicle appropriate for wheel size.
- 2 self-standing warning signs
- First aid equipment (Road Traffic Regulations)
In the next section, we will look at what to pay attention to when loading dangerous goods.
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