When transporting any dangerous goods by transport, the first thing you need to do is to issue a document of a strictly established standard. It is an emergency card. The information contained in it will help the emergency services in an unforeseen situation to eliminate the consequences of an emergency as soon as possible. We will talk about the content, form and features of this document in this material.
Document role
An emergency card for a dangerous cargo contains information about its potential danger, ways to prevent an accident and the rules that are important to follow when dealing with the consequences of an emergency. Thus, the document fixes everything you need to know about a single hazardous substance in the composition of the cargo or a combination of elements especially harmful to the environment.
Responsibility for this document lies with the forwarder (driver). The document is stored in the cabin of the vehicle or in the folder with the sender's agent, if such is accompanied by an unsafe cargo. They try to place the card in a material that is resistant to many negative factors in the event of a critical situation.
Making emergency cards is the prerogative of the consignee. And all the required data is entered into it by the carrier. In the case of movement of unsafe items, the sender and the recipient must conclude a contractual document between themselves. It features a red print of "Dangerous Goods" in the upper right corner of the front page. The agreement contains the following information:
- Shipping Name;
- its physico-chemical properties;
- tools to protect the transported and to eliminate accidents;
- copy of the contents of the emergency card.
Description of the document
The hazardous cargo card contains important information on both sides:
- External: decoding of informational designations of SIO (hazard information system).
- Reverse: examples of hazard symbols, behavior when a substance ignites, work when toxic compounds get into wastewater, rules for protecting people.
An emergency card is just one of the symbols and descriptions of a dangerous cargo. In addition, the carrier needs to paint any type of vehicle (tanker, railway car, tank, trailer, etc.) in the color corresponding to the requirements, which determines the cargo of increased danger, and put warning labels.
Types of cards
Dangerous cargo emergency cards are divided into two groups:
- Individual for each name of cargo.
- Group for cases when several cargoes contain similar dangerous elements.
Card Content
The standard emergency card information is as follows:
- UN hazard class number, emergency code (CEM), hazard label and hazard class. The UN number is important information that helps identify dangerous goods. Each card must have a specific numerical code. Its alternative is a series of freight accompanying documentation. At the same time, numbers and danger signs of dangerous goods, as well as an emergency card code, are applied on wagons and containers with black paint on a white background.
- Fire and explosion hazard, the level of toxic substances, the degree of danger to people, the recommended methods of personal protection.
- Name of the dangerous goods.
- Transport insecurity level, its characteristic.
- Protocol of use of personal protective equipment.
- Actions to be taken in case of emergency: what needs to be done when it spills, spills out, disperses, substance leaks, a fire or explosion occurs.
- Methods for cleaning up the consequences of emergencies.
- Methods of emergency care for victims.
Dangerous Goods Danger Signs
Hazard symbols are divided into 9 classes, each of which has its own subclasses:
- Explosives. Fire hazard, mass explosion hazard , high sensitivity, large spreading radius.
- Gases Toxic, flammable, oxidizing, corrosive.
- Flammable liquid mass.
- Flammable materials. Solid, self-igniting, emitting gases that quickly ignite on contact with water.
- Organic peroxides and oxidizing elements.
- Infectious and toxic materials.
- Radioactive components. Alpha, beta, gamma rays, fissile elements.
- Corrosive and corrosive components.
- Other hazardous components. Solid and liquid environmental pollutants, lithium batteries, genetically modified organisms, etc.
Document Objectives
As an emergency card of a hazard information system (SIO), as well as all other documents for a dangerous cargo, they must contain a hazard code number according to the UN classification. The card also performs important tasks, containing the following information:
- Safety during emergency rescue operations.
- The radius of the zone that will be affected by fire hazards.
- Emergency measures in case an emergency occurred on the road: how to move explosive elements.
- Strict regulation of emergency response measures.
But at the same time, the flaw of the card is obvious to everyone - it is attached only to transport documents, and not to the most dangerous cargo. On the packaging, container, such detailed information is not contained.
Emergency card example
Let's look at a specific example of an emergency map - random number 109:
- Conventional number: 302, 305, 307, 308, 328, 330.
- Cargo: explosive material.
- Classification code: 1.3.
- Main properties and types of hazard:
- Properties: solid monolithic explosive, may be in the shell. Combustion free air. No reaction to water.
- Fire and explosion hazard: sensitive to both mechanical stress and open flame. The radius of the danger zone is 300 m and so on.
- Danger to humans: burns, poisoning by gaseous elements, shrapnel wounds.
- Remedies:
- Work with bulk, collapse: anti-electrostatic cotton clothes and shoes.
- Fire: protective suit. That, brand B gas mask with aerosol type filter.
- Necessary activities:
- General recommendations: stop movement in the radius of the accident, remove victims and passers-by from its zone. Organize a cordon, call fire, medical care, specialists in emergency response, etc.
- In case of scattering and collapse: stop movement in the accident zone, remove strangers from it. Eliminate sources of sparking, open flame, etc.
- In case of fire: stop the composition in a safe place, eliminate the source of ignition by applying foam, water, carbon dioxide, etc.
- First aid: in case of poisoning with combustion products, give oxygen to the affected person. Applying aseptic dressings to burns, wound surfaces, etc.
An emergency card is an important document that not only contains information about a dangerous cargo, but also information about its safe transportation, actions in case of emergency, and measures to save people.