In order to improve safety in the transportation of dangerous, hazardous items that pose a threat to the public's safety, property, and environment, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has released new standards.

The rules "IS 18149:2023—Transportation of Dangerous Goods—Guidelines," developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)'s Transport Services Sectional Committee, SSD 01, were released by the Indian government.

BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS)

  • The BIS Act of 2016 established the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), which functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
  • By periodically developing quality standards for them, BIS aims to ensure the country's goods and services are of the highest possible grade, are safe, and can be relied upon.

 BIS'S GOALS ARE:

  • The activities of standardisation, marking, and quality certification of items are developed in a harmonious manner.
  • Give standardisation and quality control a boost in order to meet both the needs of consumers and the expansion and development of the industry.
  • BIS creates Indian Standards through a consultation process in technical committees made up of stakeholders, ensuring that all viewpoints and interests are taken into account while creating a standard.
  • The BIS has laid down regulations for categorization, packaging, labelling, marking, handling, documentation, stakeholder roles, training, transportation, emergency response, and segregation measures.  
  • The national economy has benefited from traceability and tangibility benefits from IS in a variety of ways:

 i) Offering products of high safety and reliability.

ii) Reducing consumer health risks to a minimum.

iii) Encouraging the substitution of imports and exports.

iv)Using standardisation, certification, and testing to control the spread of variations.

NEW GUIDELINES

  • The new regulations are anticipated to raise the bar for the secure handling and nationwide transportation of hazardous goods.
  • The Guidelines' main goals are to standardise transportation procedures and guarantee safety while transferring dangerous and hazardous commodities that endanger people's lives, property, or the environment.
  • They outline the safety measures that should be taken when handling, transporting, and packing such hazardous commodities.
  • It will contribute to the safe and secure transportation of hazardous commodities, lowering the possibility of mishaps and potential harm to people and the environment.

TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

  • Substances and items that are dangerous to the environment, public safety, or property include those that are explosive, combustible, poisonous, contagious, or corrosive.
  • 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.
  • These include meticulous preparation and packaging, exact handling techniques throughout transit, and training and development for individuals responsible for handling and transporting this class of commodities.
  • Among the hazardous goods listed in the standard are explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidising compounds, organic peroxides, poisonous and infectious substances, radioactive substances, corrosive substances, and other varied harmful substances.

CONCLUSION

The recently announced rules are anticipated to set a new standard for the secure handling and movement of hazardous materials throughout India. Hazardous materials include those that are combustible, explosive, contagious, toxic, or corrosive. In order to lower the risk of accidents and potential harm to people and the environment, they will standardise transportation procedures and ensure that hazardous items are transported safely. The rules offer advice on dangerous goods classification, packing, labelling, marking, handling, documentation, training, transportation, and procedures for segregating them.