‘Checking packaging and labels is imperative’

Transporting dangerous goods is not for the faint-hearted. Expertise and specially trained personnel are key to ensuring that safety protocols are always met. According to Hazel Briggs of HB Services, the transportation of dangerous goods requires operational systems that are at all times controlled. “Unless the correct questions are asked prior to the receipt of a shipment, the less informed could be heading for real trouble.” Briggs says it is imperative that companies do not just accept cargo and documents. “It is extremely dangerous to just proceed with loading and dispatching after accepting cargo and documents without checking packaging and labels.” While the majority of larger chemical companies subscribe to a code of ethics and carry out all procedures correctly, Briggs says the problem arises with procurement agencies who just load regardless of what the label says. “We have seen unscrupulous companies who insist a shipment is not hazardous even when the packaging and labels indicate the opposite. It is therefore very important that transporters are vigilant when accepting cargo from suppliers.” Even more so, says Briggs, in the current difficult economic and recessionary times. “Being negligent will be at your own peril.”