Better information for your journey
The National Traffic Control Centre collects real-time information on road conditions.
The Project Control Framework
On 1st April 2008 we launched the Project Control Framework. The Framework sets out how we, together with the Department for Transport, manage and deliver major improvement projects.
Free Traffic Information Seminars
Helping your business get its customers, drivers and goods where they should be, on time and stress-free.
Capability Assessment Toolkit 3
Introducing new and challenging indicators in the area of corporate social responsibility.
Efficiency Gains from Collaborative Roads Procurement
Delivering efficiency and best value is central
Dangerous Goods Labels
March 2008
Following on from the previous article on carriage of dangerous goods this article concentrates on the marking of vehicles carrying dangerous goods. Although incidents involving dangerous goods may not occur as frequently as other incidents they have greater potential for significant disruption. The article also ties into a debrief from Area 5 in which an unmarked vehicle was carrying dangerous goods.
Safety First
As discussed in previous articles it is important to remember that vehicles carrying dangerous goods should be treated as significant hazards. The goods onboard have the potential to cause significant harm to responders, the public and/or the environment. The previous article explains more about this.
When does a vehicle need marking?
There is not a straightforward answer to this question. It varies for the product being carried and the way it is carried. Dangerous goods carried in large quantities where the vehicle is the primary packaging for the goods must be marked externally to the vehicle. Goods carried in packages within the vehicle require only minimal external markings under the ADR regulations. If the quantities being carried are below the threshold then there is no legal requirement to mark up the vehicle. (The previous article also referred to this.) For example, a vehicle carrying 300 litres of potassium cyanide solution in containers does not need to be marked up.
What markings might you see on a vehicle?
There are broadly speaking 3 types of marking you may see:
- Orange boards with a black border 400mm x 300mm
- Hazard diamonds E.g. Flammable
- Coded information and phone numbers
Where a vehicle is obliged to be marked up it will always have an orange board about the size of a piece of A3 paper on the front of the vehicle. To the rear of the vehicle there will also be either an orange board or a hazard information panel. This is the primary clue to a vehicle carrying dangerous goods.
The hazard diamonds use internationally recognised symbols to show the main hazards of the product. This could be for toxic gas, flammable liquids or even explosives
. These symbols can be found at the following link.
The coded information is intended for use by those trained to understand it. There are two main components to the coded information. The top number is the Emergency Action Code (EAC) whilst the bottom number is the unique (UN) number for the produce being carried. In addition there may be a specialist advice phone number. This enables the Hazardous Materials (HazMat) advisor to gain advice from an expert with regards to how to tackle the incident.
What is an EAC?
In the UK the Emergency Action Code is a two or three digit code made up of one number and one or two letters. If there are two letters it will have an ‘E’ at the end of it. If that is the case then the load poses a public safety hazard. The emergency services will manage the incident but if you are first on the scene then all non essential personnel should be moved to a minimum of 250 metres from the vehicle. Internationally the convention is different and the emergency action code is made up of only numbers. These tell you about the hazards of the load but do not tell you if the product is a public safety hazard for example. If in any doubt take advice from a trained hazmat advisor.
What is the UN Number?
The UN number for a particular produce remains constant across the world. This is a 4 digit number which is unique to that product. For example, UN1203 is petrol and UN1001 is acetylene. The listings can be found at HM Fire Service Inspectorate's Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List. The linked document is very useful as it provides information to the fire service on how to fight fires and what protective equipment to use. To the untrained eye it is simple a list of codes but it does allow you to look up what a vehicle is carrying using only the UN number. It also contains examples of the hazard diamonds and an interpretation guide to the various coding.
So what do I do with the information?
With the information within this article you should now be able to identify the critical information displayed on a vehicle. The UN Number, EAC, hazard diamond and specialist advice phone number should be passed to a HazMat advisor as early as possible. This information will allow those with the correct knowledge, training and experience to determine the best course of action to enable an efficient but safe clear up.
Finally remember to safeguard your own health and safety and that of those around you. SAD CHALETS is a key tool to assist with this.
Survey
Assess
Disseminate
Casualties
Hazards
Access to scene
Location
Emergency Service Requirement
Type of Incident
Safety of all present
Has this article been worthwhile reading? Why not take a moment to send us your comments, thoughts or questions. Please e-mail TIMbulletin@highways.gsi.gov.uk.
