A new dangerous goods working group is set to boost transport safety outcomes in Western Australia.
| Date: | Thursday, 14 March 2019 |
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The Dangerous Goods Rail Transport Safety Working Group will provide an overview of dangerous goods rail transport activity in WA, act as an intermediary between operators and industry regulators and provide input to assessing, accepting and reporting rail transport risk.
Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety’s (DMIRS) Senior Dangerous Goods Officer, Stephen Lane, said the working group leverages off the good work done by inspectors from DMIRS Dangerous Goods Safety team over the past three years.
“The Dangerous Goods Transport Regulations also apply to rail transport, so DMIRS officers conducted audits of all bulk dangerous goods rail transfer locations across WA in 2016-17,” Mr Lane said.
“This included cyanide and ammonia filling of rail wagons, caustic soda transport for the alumina industry and bulk solid sulphur prill railed to mine processing sites.
“Knowledge gained from the audits was then passed on to industry at the inaugural Dangerous Goods Rail Safety Forum, which DMIRS hosted in October 2017.
“The working group’s efforts will hopefully be an effective channel for industry and regulators to enhance transport safety outcomes in WA and nationally.”
The Working Group is a joint initiative between the DMIRS Dangerous Goods and Critical Risks Directorate and WorkSafe Division and the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR). Industry stakeholders include chemical manufacturers, freight forwarders and rail operators.
DMIRS has a well-established presence in the road transport industry, which includes officers undertaking dangerous goods load inspections; presenting compliance and risk seminars through Transafe WA, and overseeing road tanker approvals in WA.
Mr Lane and DMIRS Principal Dangerous Goods Officer, Peter Xanthis, organised the groundwork that helped form the group.
The Working Group’s delegates represent:
- DMIRS – Dangerous Goods & Critical Risks, WorkSafe Division (two delegates)
- ONRSR – Principal Rail Safety Officer, Director Perth Operations
- Industry Operators – Aurizon, Pacific National, SCT Logistics
- Major freight forwarder representatives – Toll, Linfox & Sadleir’s
- Manufacturer representatives – Alcoa, CSBP & Coogee Chemicals
- Emergency Services – Department of Fire and Emergency Services.
