Legal | hazcom-dgr

LEGAL COMPLIANCE SERVICES

Hazcom-DGR (Pty) Ltd is a young company made up of old experts in the field of Dangerous Goods Logistics and Distribution by Road. Our expertise covers such aspects as training of drivers and other employees that transport, handle, store, use or load listed Dangerous Goods as published in South African National Standard (SANS) 10228: 2012 and where the aformentioned Standard is incorporated into the National Road Traffic Act of 1996, the National Road Traffic Regulations 1999/2000, the Regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 and Municipal EMS By-Laws.

Road Freight

Listed FMCG Products Brochure

Road freight is simply divided into three types:

1. Normal Goods

2. Dangerous Goods

3. Low-Hazard Goods

Dangerous Goods are solids, liquids or gases that can harm people, other living organisms, property, or the environment.

Dangerous Goods are identified as follows:

Dangerous Goods

The only way to ascertain whether goods are possibly dangerous goods is to go and look for information that may serve to identify them as listed dangerous goods. Here are some examples of what indicators to look for and where to find the correct information:

DOES THE SUBSTANCE HAVE A "UN" Number?

UN numbers or "UN ID's" are four-digit numbers that identify hazardous substances, and articles (such as explosives, flammable liquids, toxic substances, etc.) in the framework of international transport. Some hazardous substances have their own specific UN numbers. (e.g. Petrol 1203)

Other Identifiers of D/Goods

Proper Shipping Name

A name assigned to various different hazardous substances by the United Nations

Hazard Class

Substances are allocated to a Hazard Class based on their Primary Risk. Nine Hazard Classes are found with 15 sub-classes. e.g. Flammable Liquid - Class 3

Packing Group

Some Classes are further divided into Packing Groups according to the degree of danger they present:

PG I - Extreme / Great Danger

PG II - Medium / Moderate Danger

PG III - Minor / Mild Danger

Exempt Quantity: Single Loads

Single Load of Dangerous Goods

A load comprised of a substance with only ONE UN Number, or multiple goods with the same UN Number, or substances from the same hazard class with the same ERG Number (i.e.The UN Number of the most hazardous substance is used on placarding)

Exempt Quantity

Dangerous Goods (Single Load) are only REGULATED when transported if they exceed

the exempt quanitity in Table C.1 of SANS 10231: 2010. Some UN Numbers are regulated in any amount (e.g. explosives, radiactives and infectious substances) while others are regulated in varying amounts ranging between 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 or 1000 litres or kilograms.

Volume

Substances must be Quantified (litres or kilograms) in order to ascertain whether they are exempted or regulated when transported by road. Care must be taken to always check the brimfull "Volume" of liquids packages and containers, irrespective of how much actual liquid is contained within them at any given time. Even containers that appear empty, but that have not been cleaned and certified as clean are treated as "notionally empty" and must be transported as if they were full to the brim.

Mixed Load Calculation

Mixed Load of Dangerous Goods

A load comprised of MORE THAN ONE HAZARD CLASS with DIFFERENT UN Numbers including substances from the same hazard class with different ERG Numbers and different UN Numbers.

Compatibility of Mixed Loads

Different Dangerous Goods found Mixed Loads must be either COMPATIBLE or certain Classes must be SEPARATED by at least 1 meter when loaded on the same vehicle.

Qualified Persons preparing mixed loads must check compatibility between various

classes by referring to to the Mixed Load Compatibility Chart in SANS 10231: 2010

Exempt Quantity

Dangerous Goods (Mixed Load) are only REGULATED when transported if they exceed

the sum total of "1000" after applying the "Mixed Load Formula" of "A = Q x F".

Q is the "Quanitity" (of substance in kilograms or litres-Volume) and F is the
"Factor" found in Column 7 of Table C.1 in SANS 10231: 2010.

Offences

Vehicles may only display "MIXED LOAD" placards if the load meets all the criteria of mixed loadss, including the exceeding of the "1000" sum total after calculation.

Many Consignors of Dangerous Goods and Many Operators of Dangerous Goods Vehicles use "MIXED LOAD" placards due to lack of knowledge and sometimes to save costs on placards. The Law Enforcement Agencies are wise to this practice and are detaining vehicles until the placarding and incompatibility of loads are corrected.