Dangerous goods transport is a two-way street for contracting parties

Consignors should view packaging as key
KEVIN MAYHEW Some consignors of dangerous goods rely too much on a contracted transporter for safe dangerous goods transit and forget that they also have responsibilities, according to director of Freightpak, Martin Kennedy. “Their understanding of the legislation is sometimes lacking, either because they are not well informed or they choose to ignore legislation pertaining to distribution of their goods,” he said. He said they had noticed that some consignors adopted a responsible approach to packaging of dangerous goods, which demonstrated a higher level of care towards the environment and greater awareness of the consequences of an incident in transit and the potential impact of general handling and transport of cargoes. He says appropriate packaging could translate into increased unit cost but was a wise step in the long-term. “The effect on cargo of exposure to the elements in varying degrees and vehicle movement during transit generate conditions that are vastly different to that of the stationary, protected warehouse status,” he explained. He advised that transporters needed a proper briefing on the nature of a product and requirements for safe transportation. Valuable, sensitive and dangerous cargo is sometimes handled very carefully at the manufacturer or distributor’s plant or warehouse. However, once in the hands of the transporter there is very little constructive input from the consignor to ensure safe delivery and appropriate packaging for transport conditions to maintain the integrity of the product. “The consignor no longer feels responsible for the cargo and pays inadequate attention to detail when briefing the transporter. This could lead to an oversight that was avoidable if due consideration had been given to informing those entrusted with the cargo. Disastrous consequences could arise from the negligent attitude,” he concluded.