IS 18149:2023 – TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS — GUIDELINES
The ‘IS 18149:2023 – Transportation of Dangerous Goods — Guidelines’ have been published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) with the aim of enhancing safety in the transportation of hazardous materials. These guidelines have been formulated by BIS under the Transport Services Sectional Committee, SSD 01.
Contents
• What is the aim of the guidelines?
• What are dangerous goods according to the guidelines?
• Why were the guidelines issued?
• Who formulated the guidelines?
What is the aim of the guidelines?
The newly released guidelines are expected to establish a new benchmark for the safe handling and transportation of dangerous goods across India. Here, dangerous goods refer to those substances that are flammable, explosive, infectious, toxic or corrosive.
They will standardize transportation practices and ensure that hazardous goods are transported safely, reducing the risk of accidents and potential harm to people and the environment.
The guidelines provide guidance on classification, packaging, labelling and marking, handling, documentation, training, transportation, emergency action and provisions for the segregation of dangerous goods.
What are dangerous goods according to the guidelines?
The substance and articles that pose risk to public safety and the environment have been classified as dangerous goods. This includes toxic, flammable, explosive, infectious and corrosive materials.
Also, the materials that require adequate safety measures for transport have also been put under the category of dangerous goods. The transportation may be through air, land or water. However, they will require high safety measures for transporting.
The goods that have been included in this category are flammable solids, flammable liquids, explosive gases, organic peroxides, oxidizing substances, poisonous substances, radioactive substances, and corrosive substances.
Why were the guidelines issued?
The guidelines were issued to reduce the risk of accidents and also to keep the people and environment safe from the dangers of hazardous substances.
Who formulated the guidelines?
Transport Services Sectional Committee. There are different sectional committees operating under the BIS. For instance, the SSD 2 sectional committee looks after the travel, tourism, and hospitality services. Sectional Committee SSD 3 looks after the banking and financial services.
TRIVIA:
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the National Standards Body of India under Department of Consumer affairs,
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India. It is established by the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 which came into effect on 12 October 2017. The Minister in charge of the Ministry or Department having administrative control of the BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS. BIS has 500 plus scientific officers working as Certification Officers, Member secretaries of technical committees and lab OIC’s.
The organisation was formerly the Indian Standards Institution (ISI), set up under the Resolution of the Department of Industries and Supplies No. 1 Std. (4)/45, dated 3 September 1946. The ISI was registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
A new Bureau of Indian standards (BIS) Act 2016 which was notified on 22 March 2016, has been brought into force with effect from 12 October 2017. The Act establishes the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) as the National Standards Body of India read more information click here