An incident where a tanker fully loaded with sulphuric acid came to a grinding halt after it was left with a flat front tyre as soon as it emerged out of a unit in the Eloor industrial belt on Friday night has drawn attention to the suspect conditions in which hazardous materials are being transported through the city.
Though fire and rescue personnel helped the tanker crew change the tyre of the vehicle, weighing 25 tonnes in all, in 45 minutes, the scheduled trip to Ambalamugal was suspended after it was found that all the tyres had been worn out.
District Fire Officer A.S. Jogy said the ignorance of drivers and far-from-ideal condition of vehicles were the major threats facing the transportation of hazardous materials. “Often drivers are found to have no clue about the chemical and the quantity being transported or the protocol to be followed in the event of an emergency. Such complacency during the transportation of hazardous chemicals is particularly threatening for a district like Ernakulam,” he told The Hindu .
Drivers have to undergo specialised training by agencies recognised by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) to get their licences renewed annually. But there are instances where qualified drivers are replaced by others during the course of a trip.
“Laws state that drivers should possess a material safety data sheet, which should be given to the agency concerned in the event of an emergency. While reputed companies here even follow a check-list of safety measures, the same cannot be said in the case of vehicles coming from other States,” said S. Mani, Senior Joint Director, Factories and Boilers, Ernakulam.
The Factories and Boilers Department is about to approach the MVD seeking recognition as a training agency for its Chemical Emergency Response Centre with qualified hands to impart training. Continuous training and awareness are the sole solution to the problem, Mr. Mani said.
K. Manoj Kumar, Ernakulam Regional Transport Officer (Enforcement), said the fitness of vehicles engaged in the transportation of hazardous chemicals are renewed annually only on satisfying a list of parameters. “A fitness certificate is valid for a year and in between vehicles may develop snags. We suspend the certificates of such vehicles when they come to our notice,” said Mr. Kumar.
