Tanker safety: new regs due
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TRANSPORT Minister William Rodgers met representatives of the chemical and transport industries and the trade unions to discuss future legislation over the safety of tankers carrying hazardous loads in Britain last week.
He told representatives of the Chemical Industries Association, Confederation of British Industries, Road Haulage Association, Freight Transport Association, Transport and General Workers Union, Road Transport Industry Training Board, the Liquified Petroleum Gas Industry Association, and the Air Compressed Gases association that the urgency of the meeting was to reassure the public of the safety of the loads in the light of the Spanish tanker disaster. He explained that he had asked the Health and Safety Executive to "expedite" the preparation of new rules on the carrying of hazardous loads which he has been asking for for some time.
And an HSE document for consultation will be published in October because he was determined to make new regulations on the subject "before next summer."
Mr Rodgers told the meeting that despite the excellent record of the litritish industry there was still a need for the organisations to fulfill their responsibilities "and I am asking for your counsel and advice," he said.
It was agreed at the meeting that it was better to make a completely new set of regulations than to come up with a new set of interim regulations that could delay the introduction of the new rules.
The three sides discussed the enforcement of the regulations on the Health and Safety at Work aspects and training needs in the field. The industry has agreed that the drivers' and fitters' training should be improved where they come into contact with vehicles used for hazardous loads.
Now the Department of Transport is to contact local authorities and others responsible for the routing and organisation of the parking of vehicles in areas where there are large suppliers and customers of products involved for further discussions — and it has been agreed that further speed limits would not be needed.