Operator, Consignor and Driver fined $12,000 for Dangerous Goods Breaches in NSW
A consignor, transport company and one of its drivers were issued with hefty fines from the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), for a number of breaches relating to the transport of dangerous goods recently.
According to reports, the driver was unlicensed and some of the dangerous goods load was not properly restrained or labelled.
The incident highlights the importance of compliance when transporting dangerous goods. Fines totalling $12,000 have been issued to the company and driver for breaches in NSW.
The company received a $10,000 fine and the driver was issued with a $2000 fine following a compliance inspection at Kooragang in February.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) said the vehicle was transporting flammable liquid and organic peroxide but did not have the appropriate placard. Also, the driver and vehicle were not licensed to transport dangerous goods in bulk.
The EPA also says the transport documents were not compliant and the emergency procedure guides weren’t carried out. In addition, the load was not labelled properly or restrained and the truck didn’t have the necessary safety equipment and information.
Manager for the EPA Adam Gilligan explained:
“The EPA considered that the dangerous goods were being transported in an unsafe manner and the vehicle was not allowed to proceed on its journey at the time,”
Source: http://www.fullyloaded.com.au
Transportation of dangerous goods is not something to be taken lightly and everyone in the supply chain can be held liable for breaches, as this case proves. In this incident, the EPA fined the consignor as well as the transport company and driver. The consignor was fined $10,000 for unsafe transport of dangerous goods and official cautions were issued to all parties.
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The EPA was tipped off about this company’s breaches by an observer. Mr Gilligan stated that this incident is a reminder to the dangerous goods sector about complying with its obligations. Mr Gilligan went on to explain:
“The EPA urges all parties involved in the transport of dangerous goods to ensure compliance with the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods and Dangerous Goods (Road and Rail Transport) Act 2008 to ensure that the activity is carried out in a safe manner in order to minimise the risk to those involved in the transportation, the public, emergency services and the environment.”
Source: http://www.fullyloaded.com.au
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