New laws reflect southern African conditions

Local version tremcard to be introduced KEVIN MAYHEW Using a legitimate operator for the transport of dangerous goods is crucial, particularly in view of new legislation set to be promulgated this year. FTW’s Kevin Mayhew takes a closer look. LEGISLATION THAT makes the transport of dangerous goods more specific to southern African conditions is expected to be introduced during 2005, according to the chief executive officer of EC Logistics, Eddie Crane. Crane – who is also a dangerous goods consultant – says the major changes will be to the SANS10231 operational requirements for transportation of dangerous goods. A local version Transport Emergency Card (Tremcard) is also to be introduced. “Operational requirements have been modelled on European standards and procedures. This year changes will be made that the industry welcomes as they will be more suited to the conditions and operational difficulties of southern Africa,” he said. Two new Standards became law in 2004 and affect the transportation of dangerous goods. They impacted on the reprocessing of previously certified packaging, emergency information systems and the Transport Emergency Card. In March amendments to standards related to the operational requirements for road vehicles in the transport of dangerous goods will mean changes to required emergency information systems and response guides for the movement of dangerous goods and the driver emergency information document. Outlining projects being undertaken in 2005, Crane said a number of changes to present regulation would be under consideration by Standards South Africa (formerly the South African Bureau of Standards). A working group on above ground storage of hazardous chemicals is considering the possible separation of “flammable and combustible liquids” from the scope of this standard. A completely new standard for the requirements for storage tanks for flammable and combustible liquids is a possibility. Design requirements for road vehicles and portable tanks will also be under consideration. For rail transport of dangerous goods, operational requirement changes are being considered which will enable the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) and Spoornet to adopt international standards such as the regulations contained in the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID). The RSR and Spoornet are also seeking to adopt the RID regulations relating to emergency information systems for its dangerous goods operations. Relating to the warehousing of dangerous goods, enclosed storage areas and covered and uncovered outdoor storage yards are under consideration, but the storage of oxidising substances review project has been put on hold. Comments on the packaging for transportation of dangerous goods for road and rail transport have been put forward by relevant parties and are contained as a Draft South African Standard for review and implementation. Collated comments on the safe handling and disposal of hazardous waste and the use of common names for products are to be circulated to the relevant committee soon. Looking at further global harmonisation, the general identification and classification of dangerous goods for transport list in South Africa is being updated to include over 100 new United Nations numbers from the latest edition of the Orange Book to align the new revision of SANS 10228 to the Orange Book. Comment is also being awaited from the relevant working group relating to adopting a globally harmonised system of classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS).