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UK favours new 'Hazchem' system for danger loads
Page 41
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by CM reporter
• A new British system of classifying hazardous chemicals in transit, known as Hazchem, has been presented for consideration by working party WP 15 of the Economic Commission for Europe. WP 15 is responsible for making legislation recommendations to member States (including the UK) and its findings will also influence new EEC regulations.
The system, which is understood to have strong Home Office support, relies upon a simple two-digit letter coding system. Chemicals would be classified according to this code, and plastic pocket cards to be carried at all times by police and firemen would show the key actions to be taken in any incident, according to the coding severity.
Hazchem was devised by London Fire Brigade, which is among the bodies strongly opposed to the Keznler numerical system drafted under the auspices of an • Interministerial Commission set up in France (CM August 24). It is said that the. Kemler system was devised without reference to the fire services in France or the UK, and that the numerical code does not give adequate warning to emergency personnel about the dangers — in some cases fatal — of certain chemicals which attack lungs and bronchial passages when inhaled, or which are toxic by skin absorption. It is claimed that the Hazchem system provides a safeguard in this respect.
The Home Office has modified the London Fire Brigade's proposed letter system by adding an "E" to the coding for certain substances — an E which means "evacuate". It would indicate to emergency personnel that when any vehicle carrying a substance with "E" coding was involved in an incident the area around the incident should immediately be evacuated.
A London Fire Brigade spokesman told CM this week that even if the BCE /EEC do not formally adopt the Hazchem system, as hoped, the Home Office is thought likely to implement it in the UK.