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Hazchem Emergency Response Service (HERS)
July 2008
Following the various Hazchem articles that the Bulletin has featured, a new voluntary scheme has come to the TIM team’s attention. This new system is only applicable to packaged dangerous goods and is purely voluntary. The article explains in more detail.
What are packaged dangerous goods?
The term 'dangerous goods' has been defined in previous articles. Packaged goods are basically those goods which are not contained by the body of the vehicle. A 2.5 litre tin of paint is a package as is a 1000 litre intermediate bulk container. Packaged goods can be solid, powder, liquid or gas.
The regulations for packaged goods mean that there is no requirement to display external vehicle markings unless certain quantities are being carried; even then the markings are minimal. An orange board at the front and rear is all that is legally required for some vehicles. This means that potentially a vehicle could pose a specific hazard but the information is not readily available.
What is the new scheme?
The Hazchem Emergency Response Service (HERS) is a voluntary marking and support scheme aimed at assisting emergency response to incidents which involve the transport of packaged dangerous goods by road. It is important not to confuse it with the existing statutory marking schemes required by the European ADR Regulations and the Great Britain (GB) Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations.
The HERS Scheme is intended to assist member companies (about 40 independent haulage companies) when responding to incidents, involving their vehicles that are carrying dangerous goods. In addition, the supplementary voluntary markings on vehicles and available support systems may assist emergency responders when dealing with these incidents.
The scheme has two essential components:
- A supplementary marking (sign) which is additional to the standard orange plates required under ADR or the GB Carriage Regulations. This new marking displays an emergency contact telephone number that allows responders to obtain information without having to enter the vehicle cab for transport documents or the load.
- A tiered support system, similar in nature to the ‘Chemsafe Scheme’, currently operated by the National Chemical Emergency Centre (NCEC), for incidents involving transport by tankers, tank containers or bulk loads.
Members of the Hazchem network may display a sign, as shown above, on the rear of the vehicle when they are carrying packaged dangerous goods. However, it must be noted that ‘the Hazchem network’ is in no way related to the official Hazchem Scheme in the United Kingdom and should not be confused with Hazchem marking. For further information on Hazardous Material labelling, please follow the link.
The sign will be in addition to the orange plates that must be displayed on the front and rear of the vehicle. It should be removed or covered (as should orange plates) when the vehicle is not carrying dangerous goods.
What does this mean at incidents?
The NCEC will handle telephone calls to the emergency number. This number gives access to the following three levels of assistance:
Level 1 - Provision of advice by:
- Recognising the hazards to people, property and the environment
- Providing rapid access to product information
- Recommending actions and providing straightforward advice
- Making direct contact with the member’s depot and advising on whether a Level 2/3 provider is required
Level 2/3 - Response
Following an assessment between the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Officer and the NCEC it may be decided to instigate a Level 2 or 3 response.
- For a Level 2 response, an industry advisor will be mobilised to offer advice at the scene
- When it is apparent that the incident will involve a clean up and/or removal of chemicals, a Level 3 response may be instigated which will involve a team with containment and clean up equipment being dispatched
It must be recognised that, where the vehicle is carrying dangerous goods in packages but the carrier is not a member of the scheme, it is likely that the only warning available will be the orange plates at the front and rear of the vehicle.
Responders should also be aware that using the HERS helpline is not the only method of obtaining assistance in dealing with the incident. Incident Commanders and Hazmat Officers should also consider obtaining and using other sources of information, such as information from the driver, ‘instructions in writing’ carried in the cab, labelling on packages, transport documents etc, where these are available and obtainable without undue risk to personnel.
Incident Commanders and Hazmat Officers should also, in consultation with NCEC, consider alternative clean up companies if the estimated arrival time at the incident is unacceptable.
The HERS scheme can only be operated for scheme members, as the response costs will be borne as part of the membership arrangement. Where an incident involves a non-HERS transport, existing arrangements for clean-up should be operated.
Has this article been worthwhile reading? Were you aware of the above system or used it previously, if so why not take a moment to send us your comments, thoughts, or questions. Please email TIMBulletin@highways.gsi.gov.uk
