18th Dangerous Goods Day Switzerland at EuroAirport Basel on 8 June 2016

Vast quantities of flammable, corrosive, toxic and environmentally hazardous goods are transported every day by road, rail, ship and air. It is anything but a matter of course that these "goods" arrive safely at their destination. After all, how easy is it for them to get stuck in a defective container, to be carelessly lashed down or to be transported together with other substances with which they would immediately react chemically if released?

Serious accidents involving dangerous goods are fortunately very rare, but this is not due to luck alone. Rather, it is the conscious adherence to detailed regulations on all aspects of handling dangerous goods that ensures safe conditions.

Complex set of rules
In view of the volumes of dangerous goods being transported, ongoing globalisation and the ever faster development of new products and substances, continuous efforts are needed to ensure that dangerous goods are transported safely to their destination. The European conventions, which provide the essential framework for all aspects of the transport of dangerous goods by road and rail and are valid in 48 contracting states, are therefore revised every two years.

Beat Schmied from the Federal Roads Office informed the participants at the Dangerous Goods Day about the expected innovations in the 2017 edition of the ADR and the associated Swiss regulations SDR. Due to time constraints, he was unable to explain every innovation in detail, but he was able to give valuable indications as to which parts of the regulations would be subject to change. Very many of the expected corrections are only of an editorial nature, but this does not mean by any means that they should be ignored. After all, the transport of dangerous goods is heavily regulated due to the dangers mentioned at the beginning and the large number of countries involved. The devil is therefore often in the detail, as conference chairman Ralf Mengwasser had already warned in his welcoming address. Thus, the innovations also include some that may not appear to be very clear at first glance. On the other hand, the ADR 2017 also comes up with very useful changes. These include, for example, a definition for the previously unspecified term "well-ventilated vehicle", which provides limit values for carbon dioxide and oxygen in the air.

Increase expertise
As every year, the specialist modules offered the opportunity to devote themselves to a specific topic in groups and also to ask questions of the speakers or to exchange ideas among themselves. In addition to an in-depth look at the upcoming innovations, there were seven other modules to choose from. One of these was devoted to the maintenance of IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers) and site tanks and highlighted the differences and advantages of the two types of containment. The site tank is a Swiss peculiarity and may only be used in Switzerland in accordance with SDR. Unlike the IBC, it may only be filled with diesel, but offers the advantages of a more robust design and longer inspection intervals. The participants in the module discussed the question of how to deal with IBCs or site tanks where the inspection intervals have been missed. Another module looked at the often problematic classification of waste, using three different cases, and showed ways in which a reasonable classification can be made using the available regulations. Particular attention was paid to the question of transport or the correct labelling of dangerous goods. The participants were not in agreement as to whether or not it was still possible to speak of dangerous goods in the case of an exemption in accordance with a special regulation. Here too, the "devil seemed to be in the detail", but in view of the threat of fines in the event of incorrectly completed papers, apparent details quickly turned into weighty questions.

Specialists are aware of the many pitfalls in dangerous goods law and are therefore happy to attend the Dangerous Goods Day every year to keep up to date and to learn more.

The Dangerous Goods Day Switzerland also imparts specific knowledge on transport on inland waters or in the air and supplements the theoretical part with presentations on related topics as well as specialist modules and practical exercises or tours. The next opportunity for dangerous goods safety advisors, enforcement officers, forwarders or manufacturers of dangerous goods to obtain such comprehensive information will be the 19th Dangerous Goods Day Switzerland on 14 June 2017.

Swiss TS Technical Services AG and GeFaSuisse hold the annual Dangerous Goods Day Switzerland, providing information on amendments to the European agreements on the carriage of dangerous goods by road (ADR) and rail (RID). www.gefahrguttag.ch