Transportation of Dangerous Goods
After being found guilty of violating the regulations on the transportation of dangerous goods, a local transport company was penalised of a $31,000 fine as ordered by a Western Australian court.
The said incident now served as a warning signal to other dangerous goods transporters that they should adhere to the high safety standards in the transportation of the said goods.
Charges against the company included a guilty plea for 14 dangerous goods offences. These incidents occurred in five different locations of dangerous goods inspections namely Wubin, Karratha, Bindoon, and Northam. Furthermore, these incidents happened between the months of February and May of 2013.
The incident which took place in Northam last February 15 was considered to be the most serious offence committed by the trucking company. The violation involved a truck carrying chlorine gas without placarding, load inspection documents or even the required specialised equipments to control potential incidents. The Northam Court magistrate said that if something bad happened during the transportation of the chlorine gas, it would have been very dangerous for the transporters itself, road users and emergency personnel.
The Dangerous Goods Director Philip Hine of the Western Australia’s Department of Mines and Petroleum said, “This enforcement should send a strong message to dangerous goods transport companies that, for the safety of all concerned, regulations must be followed at all times.”
Director Hine also warned violators and said, “Those who disregard dangerous goods transport regulations not only put their own lives in danger but also that of other road users and emergency response personnel.”
For the year 2013, violations on dangerous goods transport amounted to over $170,000 in fines. As for this year, the sum already exceeded $40,000.
The incident mentioned a while ago and other incidents will probably prompt officials to reinforce and strengthen dangerous goods laws.