The Chemical and Allied Industries’ Association Workshop on Transporting dangerous goods - Be prepared for the future and any eventuality, was recently held in Johannesburg and Durban.  The Workshops were themed upon ‘Dangerous Goods Legislation’. Attended by chemical companies’ transport operators and logistics managers, transport safety managers, transport company’s safety, health and environmental managers and emergency responders, the workshop provided best practice as well as insight as to what the industry can do to ensure the safe transportation of dangerous goods.

The workshop focused on the legal requirements applicable to the transport of dangerous goods, specifically focussing on proposed amendments in SANS 1518 and SANS 10231.  The importance of post-accident event reconstruction, how to plan for emergency incidents on the road, the preparedness of drivers for such eventualities as well as the new Road Incident Management System was addressed.  The workshop introduced industry to ISO 39001:2012 Road Traffic Safety Management Systems.

“Member companies that are signatories to the Responsible Care initiative are required to ensure that their transport providers comply with the South African Safety and Quality Assessment System requirements”, said Louise Lindeque, Responsible Care Manager.

According to Stanley Bezuidenhout, Forensic Collision Homicide Reconstructionist and Managing Director of IBF Investigation cc, effective risk management starts with the proper gathering of evidence at the scene of a vehicle collision.  Information on the use of technology such as 3D Animation Software, and Crash Data Retrieval systems was supplied.

Responsible Care, an initiative of the global chemical industry, assists its signatory members in the transport and related sectors to improve their safety, health and environmental performance for the storage, distribution and transportation of dangerous goods. Through this, RC is able to promote sustainable and safe road and rail transport operations.