March 18th 2020

Transportation of Hazardous Chemicals Guidelines

According to transport legislation and regulatory requirements, hazardous chemicals are to be stored and shipped in a safe manner. There are significant environmental and health-related risks that must not be overlooked.

What are the hazardous chemicals?

They are substances that have the potential of causing severe health effects. They include poisoning, breathing concerns, allergic reactions, cancer, and other major health problems.

Most hazardous chemicals are classified as dangerous goods since they can cause explosions, corrosive reactions, and fires.

For example, paints, fuels, pool chlorine, cleaning chemicals, gas

cylinders, and some pesticides can all be considered hazardous chemicals depending on their composition.

Transportation Guidelines for Hazardous Chemicals

Transportation and storage of hazardous chemicals can be a little tricky. Under various health and safety regulations regarding dangerous goods, several transport directives need to be considered when considering public safety.

These are some of the guidelines for transportation of hazardous chemicals:

For safety reasons, it is advisable to not transport hazardous chemicals along with food items, water or other reactive chemicals.

When it comes to mixed classes of hazardous chemicals, shippers must consider segregation rules for transportation.

While in transport, hazardous chemicals must be packaged and labeled correctly to ensure that proper measures are taken when someone comes in contact with these chemicals.

Fully secure these hazardous chemicals on the vehicle to prevent any potential load-shift or damage that can cause leakage of contents.

It's imperative to classify hazardous chemicals according to the hazards as designated by the UN

Always select transport companies that are registered, have the necessary license and experience for the transportation of hazardous products.

If you are transporting a previously opened container, ensure it is secured and packed in a secondary container with proper labeling.

In case of compressed gas cylinders, always have the valve caps screwed on or ensure the valves are adequately protected.

The driver must carry a copy of the safety data sheet or SDS.

A spill kit containing required items like personal protective equipment, absorbent materials, shovel, etc. is recommended be on board the vehicle, and the driver should have appropriate training.

While transporting hazardous chemicals, it's important to follow proper procedures when goods are being loaded and unloaded to ensure everyone’s safety.

While these are guidelines for transporting hazardous chemicals from point A to point B, there are three key factors to consider. These are: labeling on containers, placards on trucks and having the right set of shipping documents. Having appropriate safety markings and labels and placards help manage any potentials risks. The placard indicates a symbol classifying the type and class of hazardous substances on board the vehicle. The document will allow first responders to know what product they are dealing with and what quantity is in the shipment.

Apart from these generic guidelines, specific hazardous chemicals need to be stored and transported according to their classification. For instance, the capacity of the compartments of a compartmentalized tank truck used to transport gasoline must not exceed 17,000 liters.

How does EZ-Ship software help?

Our software is a great guideline to help shippers known everything there is needed to know about the transportation of hazardous chemicals.

Our system also helps you select the correct labels that must be used for any shipment of hazardous chemicals. Our system determines any segregation that may be required and helps avoid errors.

What's new?

Transportation of Hazardous Chemicals Guidelines