I can’t have been the only person whose first thought, on hearing about the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Company plant in Texas in April, was: “ammonium nitrate”.
DISPENSING Closed-system drum and IBC dispensing can offer shippers significant economic, safety and environmental benefits. Thomas A Braun, business manager, chemical and packaging products for US-based Colder Products Company (CPC), explains more
GHS It may be true that GHS is of greater import to manufacturers and shippers of chemicals than it is to logistics service providers, but everyone in the supply chain should be aware of the direction of discussions by the GHS experts as some issues may well impact the transport regulations
CONFERENCE REPORT Every step towards international regulatory harmonisation seems to be accompanied by two steps back. Attendees at the DGAC annual conference were brought up to date on the latest moves in both directions
HAZCOMM New REACH provisions entering into force next year, as well as similar legislation in other parts of the world, will place a strict requirement on chemical producers to ensure that SDSs are not only properly prepared but received and understood by downstream parties.
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
GHS The decisions taken by the GHS experts can often affect the transport regulations and those in the transport sector are keeping a close eye on its deliberations on corrosivity criteria. At their second meeting of 2011, the GHS experts gave little ground on this potentially awkward requirement
BP has agreed to pay $13m to settle most of the outstanding safety citations arising from the post-explosion inspection of the Texas City refinery in Texas, US.
FALL PREVENTION The wealth of fall protection and prevention systems on the market often forces purchasers to choose between safety and savings. But thinking the problem through on the basis of best practice helps the user determine what is the most appropriate solution
MERCURY The particular hazards posed by mercury and by articles containing mercury are such that specialist containment and packaging is required if the substance’s toxic and corrosive properties are to be kept away from personnel and the environment
