Precautionary management key to transportation of dangerous goods
- By Chu Gang
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E-mail China Daily, August 14, 2015
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Smoke and fire are seen after an explosion in the Binhai New Area in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Aug. 13, 2015. An explosion rocked the Binhai New Area in north China's Tianjin Municipality at around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. The cause and casualties are not immediately known. [China.org.cn] |
Highly explosive, flammable, poisonous, radioactive and corrosive chemicals and goods are likely to cause serious accidents if not properly handled, especially during their transportation.
Such goods require precautionary measures to minimize the risks inherent in their production, transportation and storage. And the authorities and logistics companies need to attach great importance to their emergency response systems.
Given the high risks that accompany such products, security, not economic interests, should always be the first priority. Many developed countries have strict regulations covering every link in the chain, from the classification of dangerous goods to the requirements for their transportation.
With China's industrialization, the number of dangerous chemical products has grown swiftly, which has led to the rapid development of logistic services for dangerous goods.
However, China still has a lot to do to catch up with the developed countries when it comes to its extensively operated but not-fully-professional logistics industry, which is yet to implement standardized management to deliver hazardous products across the country.
Precautionary management is the most effective and practical way to control risks. It is better to try and nip risks in the bud. It is essential to evaluate the risks at every stage and take precautionary measures.
The mechanisms of hazard and operability analysis (HAZOP) and hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) have proved to be effective and feasible in providing assessments of latent dangers and targeted precautionary measures.
Basically in logistical terms, any phenomenon that deviates from the preset operating conditions may give rise to dangers, even critical accidents.
HAZOP is designed to determine what can lead to deviations and how to deal with the possible dangers that might accompany these deviations.
It tries to take into account all the possible deviations that might occur in the purchase, transport and storage of dangerous goods, before coming up with solutions to them. For instance, enterprises should make their purchases based on their storage capabilities, continuously track the transportation of dangerous goods, and store the products in accordance with relevant regulations. Hazardous chemicals should be strictly classified and stored securely in an inert environment.
HACCP, on the other hand, focuses on analyzing all possible threats in the whole process, in terms of what may trigger them and how much damage they may cause. Critical control points are set on the basis of the analysis report to correct any deviation that may happen.
In the risk management of dangerous goods, a well-designed transport network plays a key role in minimizing the potential risks during delivery at the lowest cost. Of course, it takes wise and timely judgments to choose the best transportation vehicles and routes, and this is a very difficult task. China can learn from the Emergency Response Notification System of the United States and establish a similar database of its own.
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