Truckers’ dangerous goods guide delivers
Every day, tonnes of dangerous goods are transported throughout the country by land and sea.
“Bulk consignments are normally in the care of well trained, experienced drivers who successfully demonstrate the required expertise. A combination of migration, competition between employers for experienced drivers and increasing workload on those drivers remaining are of increasing concern when transporting chemicals,” says Barry Dyer, chief executive of Responsible Care New Zealand, formerly NZ Chemical Industry Council.
He says that regular transport accidents and near misses’involving dangerous goods disrupting traffic and endangering locals, highlights the risk and vulnerability arising from the distribution of bulk chemical products on trucks and trains.
“An overturned chemical tanker recently closed State Highway One in a relatively remote location served by volunteer emergency services. Despite no loss of content, traffic was disrupted for several hours.
“Saving lives and limiting property damage from exposure to chemicals requires a prompt and appropriate response. For human casualties, the first hour – the ‘golden hour’ – can mean the difference between life and death. In many chemical incidents, the immediate response will determine the extent to which people and the environment will be harmed – especially important when occurring in rural areas dependent upon volunteer emergency services,” says Dyer.
For almost 15 years, the SAA/SNZ HB76:2010 Dangerous Goods Initial Emergency Response Guide has provided those transporting DG with the critical advice required to protect themselves and others from the chemical products they are carrying. Found in every glovebox and safety conscious DG storage facilities, the trusty but ageing HB76 has been “the go to reference for immediately responding to an encounter with chemicals”, including the errant roadside IBC disrupting traffic or confounding local authorities.
To accompany the upgraded NZS 5433:2020 Transport of DG on Land, comes the new and improved Australia/New Zealand 2021 Emergency Response Guide (ERG). This user-friendly transport operations guide enables drivers and local First Responders to safely assess a chemical incident and where appropriate, guide their response for maximum effect.
Responding effectively to a chemical transport incident involves three basic steps:
• Identify the product: The driver (if available) should know his cargo. In lieu, the placarding on the vehicle, together with the consignment documentation carried in the cab, will inform knowledgeable First Responders.
• Protect people from harm: Remove persons from the immediate danger, then determine whether the practical intervention described in the A/NZ ERG is feasible.
• Mitigation of adverse effects: What preventative actions can be applied to prevent fire, explosion, contamination or pollution until professional help arrives? The A/NZ ERG provides advice.
“You may wish to check the contractor transporting your DG has the A/NZ ERG in their glovebox. If not, show
you take your chemical emergency preparedness obligations seriously and present them with a copy – a gift that keeps on giving – it makes good business sense.” Dyer says that consignments of bulk chemicals pass through small communities every day. Despite the best efforts of a professional industry sector, accidents will happen, perhaps with widespread consequences, particularly when less experienced drivers are involved.
“Dedicated DG transport drivers have both the training and correct protective equipment, but will also require guidance in dealing with a chemical incident.”
Replacing the HB76 with the new A/NZ 2021 ERG could indeed save your life and protect the lives of others.
RCNZ provides a comprehensive range of unique products and services to encourage, enable and verify the safe management of hazardous substances and dangerous goods.