As a leading transportation management company, Welch Transport provide reliable transportation of hazardous goods across the country. With our ADR regulated fleets and drivers, our customers can rest assured that the storage and transportation of these goods comply with vigorous safety standards. ADR regulations concern the European Agreement of transporting dangerous goods by road: these are put into place to ensure maximum safety. When transporting hazardous goods there are crucial factors to consider, which we have broken down for our customers below.
What are dangerous goods?
Hazardous goods constitute a range of different movables including gases, explosives, flammable liquids, solids and toxic substances. When it comes to storage and distribution, these goods pose hazards for various reasons. Handling these goods require thorough care and regulations. Due to the reactive nature of hazardous goods, they can be extremely dangerous if involved in road accidents, with the capacity to cause fires, explosions or environmental damage. As a result, there are extensive international regulations in place to ensure the safe transportation of these products. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the regulations surrounding their transportation.
1. Documentation and Labelling
A critical point to remember when transporting dangerous goods involves documentation and labelling. During storage and transportation, dangerous goods must be accompanied by a multimodal documentation form which specifies what your goods are and what they are for. The shipper of your dangerous goods is legally required to give detailed information regarding the contents, and information about the mode of transport should also be included. Your good should also be labelled by clear symbols and warning signs. These labels must clearly show the main hazard of your goods and should be printed or fixed securely. Note that these labels must also be easy to read and not damaged. It is important to remember that European and International symbols may differ.
2. Packaging
Alongside labelling, dangerous goods should be packaged correctly according to UN specification standards. The type of packaging used must comply and be approved by the UN, marked with the prefix UN and followed by the appropriate codes. Crucially, packaging must be fit for the transportation of your dangerous goods. For example, boxes, cylinders, drums or bags must be suitable for the substance they are carrying. They must be strong and leak-proof to avoid any accidents.
3. Choose a trusted transporter
With over 50,000 square feet of facilities and a fleet of specialized vehicles, you can trust Welch Transport when it comes to the transportation and storage of dangerous goods. Alongside this, Welch provides collections from Hertfordshire, Essex and Cambridge. Welch keeps on top of ADR Regulations, which cover information about the details of the hazardous substance, information about the packaging and information about the driver’s qualifications. It is important to keep up to date with changes in policies, alongside an awareness of how these policies might change when travelling internationally.
Browse our range of bespoke hazardous network transportation solutions today or contact an experienced member of the team via our online contact form for more information.