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Report urges clearer laws for dangerous loads
Page 33
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• Clearer legislation for the transport of dangerous chemicals and better training for drivers of lorries carrying them are the two main recommendations urged in a report sponsored by the TGWU and prepared by Aston University's Safety and Hygiene Group.
The report, The Handling and Transportation of Chemicals Oils and Toxic Materials, has been compiled on the instigation of Mr Bob Edwards, Labour MP for Bilston, and a national officer of the TGWU. The report investigates all types of transport.
The report concludes that there should be far more research into the health of the drivers, with checks on the incidence of certain diseases, the condition of cabs, accidents involving drivers, their non-driving duties and their training.
The report also recommends that certain technical problems should be investigated. These include to what extent in-cab indicators are used to inform the driver of the state of the vehicle's load. Tremcards should be used on a nationwide basis, says the report, to help inform the driver of the potential danger of the load the vehicle is carrying.
A code of practice is recommended to protect both drivers and public. Existing legislation, the report points out, provides no protection and each form of transport is administered by a separate body.
The safety report is to be published later this year and following several questions already raised in Parliament, is expected to prompt a debate on the subject.