To the attention of transportation entities
In accordance with Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 332 of July 26, 2012 "On certain measures to improve control (supervisory) activities in the Republic of Belarus", from September to December 2017, the Vitebsk Regional Department of Gospromnadzor carried out technical (technological, verification) activities in the region. Inspection of vehicles transporting dangerous goods was carried out at hazardous goods loading points and along their routes.
As a result, 102 vehicles were inspected, and 758 violations of the requirements of current regulatory documents, Rules and norms were identified. These figures indicate a low level of control over the release of vehicles for operation and inadequate performance of duties by persons responsible for the transportation of dangerous goods.
By Resolution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus No. 79 of December 29, 2016, amendments were made to the "Rules for ensuring the safety of dangerous goods transportation by road in the Republic of Belarus", which came into force on June 1, 2016. Among other things, the amendments also affected the documentation of dangerous goods transportation. In particular, the list of documents that must be directly with the driver during the transportation of a dangerous substance has changed:
- certificate of approval of vehicles for the carriage of certain dangerous goods;
- driver training certificate;
- vehicle registration card;
- information card;
- copies of documents confirming periodic or intermediate tests (inspections), as well as technical diagnostics of tanks;
- shipping documents for the dangerous goods being transported;
- addresses and phone numbers of carrier officials responsible for the transportation of dangerous goods;
- waybill;
- written instructions according to Annex 19 to the Rules;
- safety data sheet for the dangerous goods being transported (issued by the consignor).
For domestic transportation, it is additionally necessary to have with you:
- safety conditions for the transportation of specific dangerous goods (developed by the manufacturer of the dangerous substance);
- dangerous goods transportation route (the transportation route is agreed with the traffic police units, if provided for by the Rules).
The front side of the waybill must have the mark "Dangerous Goods" and the UN number of the dangerous substance must be indicated in the "Special Notes" column.
The requirements for equipping vehicles with additional equipment have changed. A transport unit for the carriage of dangerous goods must be equipped with:
- at least two wheel chocks for each vehicle (road train link), the dimensions of which correspond to the diameter of the wheels;
- two warning triangles;
- a first aid kit;
- a high-visibility vest for each crew member;
- pocket flashlights for each crew member;
- a fire blanket (when transporting flammable gases, liquids and solids);
When transporting flammable liquids in a tank, the vehicle must also be equipped with two self-powered lamps with flashing or steady orange lights and two "Hazard" signs with their own support.
Vehicles must be equipped with at least two fire extinguishers, one of which has a minimum capacity of 2 kg, suitable for extinguishing a fire in the engine compartment or cabin, and the capacity of additional fire extinguishers is determined as follows:
- for transport units with a technically permissible maximum mass of more than 7.5 t, the minimum total capacity of additional fire extinguishers must be 10 kg, provided that one of them has a minimum capacity of 6 kg. The minimum total capacity of all fire extinguishers per transport unit must be 12 kg;
- for transport units with a technically permissible maximum mass from 3.5 t to 7.5 t, the minimum total capacity of additional fire extinguishers must be 6 kg, provided that one of them has a minimum capacity of 6 kg. The minimum total capacity of all fire extinguishers per transport unit must be 8 kg;
- for transport units with a technically permissible maximum mass of up to 3.5 t, the minimum total capacity of additional fire extinguishers must be 2 kg; it is permissible to use several additional portable fire extinguishers, provided that one of them has a minimum capacity of 2 kg. The minimum total capacity of all fire extinguishers per transport unit must be 4 kg.
Fire extinguishers must be tested, sealed, and have a label indicating the date of installation and the date of the next inspection (month, year). During the transportation of hazardous goods, the date indicated on the fire extinguisher label must not be expired.
In conclusion, it should be noted that for tanks that have exceeded their estimated (normative) service life established by the manufacturer, as well as tanks whose bodies have undergone repairs, a decision on further operation can be made based on the results of technical diagnostics performed by specialized organizations. In the absence of information on the service life established by the manufacturer in the operational documentation, the service life is assumed to be 12 years.