The regulations are intended to establish a new standard for the secure handling and nationwide transportation of hazardous goods.
The National Standards Agency of India, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), recently released new recommendations designed to increase safety during the transportation of hazardous materials.
The “IS 18149:2023 – Transportation of Hazardous Products — Guidelines” regulations, developed by the BIS Transport Services Sector Committee, SSD 01, are anticipated to set a new standard for the secure handling and movement of hazardous items throughout the nation.
The BIS rules will assist in ensuring that hazardous commodities are carried in a safe and secure manner, lowering the risk of accidents and potential harm to people and the environment.
A risk to the environment, property, and public safety exists when substances or items have explosive, combustible, poisonous, infectious, or corrosive qualities. These products must be transported while taking the necessary precautions to guarantee their complete security and safety.
Hazardous commodities can be transported by land, sea, waterways, rail, or even air, however due to the sensitivity and risk factors involved, special safety measures must be implemented. They include careful conditioning and packaging, precise handling procedures throughout transit, and training and development for those involved in the handling and transportation of this kind of goods.
In addition, the IS 18149:2023, which governs packaging, labelling, marking, handling, documentation, the role of stakeholders, training, transportation, emergency action, and segregation provisions, offers standards in these areas. Explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidising substances, organic peroxides, poisonous and infectious substances, radioactive substances, corrosive substances, and other various harmful substances are among the dangerous items included in the standard.
This standard was developed to give rules for all parties involved in the safe transportation of dangerous commodities, including vehicle owners/transport companies, contractors, consignors, consignees, operators, and drivers.