UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

Packing up

CONTAINERS Regulators and enforcement agencies continue to be concerned about the number of incidents involving badly packed dangerous goods in containers. A multi-agency work programme will soon deliver revised guidance with the aim of helping shippers pack boxes properly

Two men in safety suits in a container

BADGP of honour

CONFERENCE REPORT Most trade associations perform a Janus-like function, on the one hand disseminating news and information to their members and on the other lobbying on behalf of members to legislators. BADGP’s annual meeting shows both of those functions off in a single day

VOSA staff members wearing company vests

Planning ahead

ROAD New ideas for the design of transport units and containers continue to generate debate at the meetings of WP15. The last session of 2012 agreed some last-minute changes to the 2013 texts and started work on the amendments due to enter into force in 2015

Tersteg container truck

Barging through

INLAND WATERWAYS Updates to the ADN Regulations generally harmonise with those for road and rail transport but also have the unique requirement to govern transport in tank vessels. The Safety Committee spent a lot of time dealing with detailed provisions at its final meeting before publication of the 2013 text

Barge Argonon

Take your time

MULTIMODAL The last meeting of the joint RID/ADR/ADN experts was a comparatively laid-back affair. A few urgent corrections to the 2013 texts were agreed but much else was remitted for further discussion. The one big change agreed for the 2015 texts is a revision of the provisions for carriage in bulk

Hoyer tank container on truck

Just one more thing

ROAD As the list of Contracting Parties to ADR continues to grow, some thought is being given to providing some help on implementation by states acceding the Agreement. On the other hand, the last-minute adoption of some significant new provisions for entry into force next year seems destined to make matters harder for all involved

Den Hartogh road tanker

Ex marks the spot

ATEX As global trade in hazardous area products increases, it would appear sensible that all countries operate on the same playing field when it comes to certifying hazardous area products and classifying the areas and in which they operate. So far that is not the case but, as Newson Gale’s Mike O’Brien* explains, a model for global standardisation is available

People in white lab coats examining big tank

Over to you

ROAD/RAIL Many of the issues that the RID/ADR/ADN joint experts are called upon to debate are of such a technical nature that matters have to be passed on to the standards-setting bodies. Such practice raises its own set of problems

Hoyer gas container in Werkstatt

Part of the puzzle

MULTIMODAL The UN experts on the transport of dangerous goods do not act in a vacuum; links with other organisations have become much more evident at recent meetings, with the last session featuring input from the GHS experts, IAEA, ICAO, WHO and other bodies

Air cargo being loaded up onto plane

Questing time

CONFERENCE REPORT The theme for COSTHA’s 2012 annual forum was ‘The Quest for Global Compliance’. The fellowship of delegates had plenty of expert guides to lead them on that voyage, with a few stops along the way for refreshments

Savannah - A park in the city
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