Transportation of Dangerous/
Hazardous Goods in Ghana
Presented by
Lambert Faabeluon
Director/Manufacturing Industry Dept
EPA-Accra
4/13/2015
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Introduction
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Generally, the transport sector is bedeviled
with a number of problems ranging from Air
pollution, noise pollution, tragic (road, air
and water) accidents and attendant spillages
of goods and loss of human lives and
properties.
Over the last couple of years, the increasing rate of
urbanization, motorization and economic activity in
sub-regional countries has resulted the increased
use of heavy duty haulage transport (long vehicles)
to move goods of all kinds including hazardous
ones at the expense of human health, the
environment and the quality of life
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Introduction continues
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Most of the long distance haulage trucks are diesel
powered, often ‘home use’ and mostly over-aged
with very weak engines
One of the major contributors to air pollution in
Ghana is emissions from road transport
Other nuisance of heavy duty haulage vehicles are
Noise
 Recklessness of drivers on the road/accidents
 Spillages of goods
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Introduction
Combustion Emissions
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Lead**
Hydrocarbons
Carbon Monoxide
Oxides of Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide
Particulates
Other toxic pollutants
Water Vapor
Ambient Air
Engine/Emission
Technology
Diesel Fuel
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Definition of dangerous/hazardous Goods
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Simply put, hazardous goods are goods that
are detrimental to human health and the
environment whether through contamination
with water, air, soil /land or
through ingestion, contact with any part of the
body or inhalation.
hazardous goods may also be inflammable or
toxic
The goods can be in different states i.e:
solid (powder), liquid (fluid), pasty or gaseous
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Definition continues
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"Dangerous goods" means those substances and
articles the carriage of which is prohibited or
authorized only under the conditions prescribed
and having the following characteristics:
(a) combustion or evolution of considerable heat;
(b) evolution of flammable, asphyxiant, oxidizing or
toxic gases;
(c) corrosive or the formation of corrosive
substances;
(d) the formation of unstable substances; or
(e) dangerous rise in pressure (for tanks only);
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State Policies & Regulations
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There is no single policy or regulation in Ghana governing
the entire scope of dangerous/hazardous goods handling
and transport except for diffused institutional mandates.
There are however a number of laws regulating the
importation, handling, transportation of individual
hazardous substances eg: the mercury ordinance,
explosives, petroleum products, etc
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However, the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the
Environmental Protection Agency have developed
guidelines for the management of hazardous/dangerous
goods/substances. These guidelines are however not
enforceable and assist stakeholders to avoid accidents
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Scope of dangerous goods handling
All transporters (sea, air, road, rail) of dangerous/hazardous
goods/substances must understand that transport
regulations internationally recognizes:
 (a) dangerous goods which are barred from international
carriage;
 (b) dangerous goods which are authorized for international
carriage and the conditions
 attaching to them (including exemptions) particularly with
regard to:
- classification of goods, including classification criteria and
relevant test methods;
- use of packagings (including mixed packing);
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- use of tanks (including filling);
- consignment procedures (including marking and
labelling of packages and
placarding and marking of means of transport as
well as documentation and
information required);
- provisions concerning the construction, testing
and approval of packagings and
tanks;
- use of means of transport (including loading,
mixed loading and unloading).
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Exemptions related to the nature of the transport
operation
Exemptions related to quantities carried per transport
unit
Applicability of regulations of other countries in the
corridor (axle load)
Carriage other than by road
Training and certification of persons involved in the
carriage of dangerous goods
Safety obligations of the participants
Checks and other support measures to ensure
compliance with safety requirements
Transport restrictions by the competent authorities and
security provisions
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SAFETY OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTICIPANTS
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The participants in the carriage of dangerous goods shall take
appropriate measures according to the nature and the extent of
foreseeable dangers, so as to avoid damage or injury and, if
necessary, to minimize their effects. They shall, in all events, comply
with the safety requirements.
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When there is an immediate risk that public safety may be
jeopardized, the participants shall immediately notify the EPA or other
emergency services within 8 hours and shall make available to them
the information they require to take action.
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Where any participant fails in their responsibilities, the criminal code
shall be applied in determining legal consequences (criminal nature,
liability, etc.) stemming from the fact that the participant in question is
e.g. a legal entity, a self-employed worker, an employer or an
employee.
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Handling: Responsibilities of participants
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Consignee
The consignee has the obligation not to defer acceptance of the
goods without compelling reasons and to verify, after unloading, that he
complied with his obligations.
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He shall in particular:
-carry out in the prescribed cleaning and decontamination of the vehicles
and containers;
-ensure that the containers once completely unloaded, cleaned and
decontaminated, no longer bear danger markings
-If the consignee makes use of the services of other participants (unloader,
cleaner, decontamination facility, etc.) he shall take appropriate
measures to ensure that the Safety requirements are complied with.
-If verifications bring to light any infringement of the requirements, the
consignee shall return the container to the carrier only after the
infringement has been remedied.
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Loader
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the loader has the following obligations in particular:
(a) he shall hand the dangerous goods over to the carrier/transporter only if they
are authorized for
(b) he shall, when handing over for carriage packed dangerous goods or
uncleaned empty packagings, check whether the packaging is damaged. He
shall not hand over a package the packaging of which is damaged, especially if
it is not leakproof, and there are leakages or the possibility of leakages of the
dangerous substance, until the damage has been repaired; this obligation also
applies to empty uncleaned packagings;
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(c) he shall, when loading dangerous goods in a
vehicle, or a large or small container, comply with the
special requirements concerning loading and handling
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(d) he shall, after loading dangerous goods into a
container comply with the requirements concerning
danger markings conforming to international codes
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(e) he shall, when loading packages, comply with the
prohibitions on mixed loading taking into account
dangerous goods already in the vehicle or large
container and requirements concerning the separation
of foodstuffs, other articles of consumption or animal
feedstuffs.
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Packer
the packer shall comply with in particular:
(a) the requirements concerning packing conditions,
or mixed packing conditions; and
(b) when he prepares packages for carriage, the
requirements concerning marking and labelling of the
packages.
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Transport units
A transport unit loaded with dangerous goods may in no case include
more than one trailer (or semi-trailer).
Documents to be carried on the transport unit
In addition to the documents required under other regulations such as
EPA transport form, the following documents shall : insurance, road
worthy be carried on the transport unit:
(a) The transport documents covering all the dangerous goods carried
and, when appropriate, the container packing certificate
(b) The instructions in writing relating to all the dangerous goods
carried e.g MSDS, invoices;
(c) Means of identification, which include a photograph, for each crew
member
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(d) The certificate of approval for each transport
unit or element hereof;
-The driver's training certificate
-The permit authorizing the transport operation
The instructions in writing shall be kept in a readily
identifiable form in the driver's cab. The carrier
shall ensure that the drivers concerned
understand and are capable of carrying out these
instructions properly.
Instructions in writing which are not applicable to
the goods which are on board the vehicle shall be
kept separate from pertinent documents in such a
way as to prevent confusion.
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Hazardous goods transport related realities
in Ghana’s Transport Corridors
The goods involved are limited to sodium cyanide,
acids, bases, mixtures containing heavy metals,
petroleum products including LPG and still have
issues with.
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Documentation
Packaging and Labeling
Transportation (vehicle) suitability and road worthiness
Driver’s competence
Definition of route and hazard mapping
Movement times
Reporting during accidents
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Introduction
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From 2001 to 2012, 5,380 people were killed in only the
chemical transport related cases
The accidents ranged from collisions, tipping over,
spillages resulting in fires, explosions, toxic emissions,
leakages and occupational and accidental exposure of
“hazardous chemicals”
In 2012 alone 10 industrial and 18 warehousing
fires/explosions have been recorded ALL related to
chemicals and fuel/gas
The chemical poisoning units of 8 hospitals in 4 regions
have reported 14,890 domestic chemical poisoning
(mostly agro-chemicals) with 3,400 deaths between
2001 to 2012.
Impact of non-compliance with requirements
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From 2001 to 2012, 5,380 people were killed in transport related
cases
Between 2001 and 2008, 110 chemical related accidents were
reported in Ghana and of this 80% of this occurred in 3 regions
(Greater Accra, Eastern and Ashanti) .
From 2010 to 2012, 1,862 undifferentiated road haulage accidents
were reported
Of this, 462 serious cases were transport related chemical accidents
on the Tema-Kumasi-Tamale-Paga corridor involving acids,
solvents, caustics, fuel & gas , agro-chemicals
100 of them within Ghana outside the Tema-Ougadougou corridor
and are transported to industries and mines
30 warehousing, 8 fuel stations and others as miscellaneous
accidents in nature
Of the 462 chemical related (transport) accidents 1,860 people were
directly affected, 80 drivers and 259 persons died and the rest with
serious degrees of injuries.
Fire from naphthalene accident -flat bed
overloaded with drums with nylon ropes fastening
Impact
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The accidents ranged from collisions, rollovers, spillages
resulting in fires, explosions, toxic emissions, leakages
and occupational and accidental exposure of “hazardous
chemicals”
In 2012 alone 10 industrial and 18 warehousing
fires/explosions have been recorded ALL related to
chemicals and fuel/gas
Between 2001 and 2012, the poisoning units of 8
hospitals in 4 regions reported 14,890 chemical
poisoning cases (mostly agro-chemicals) with 3,400
deaths between 2001 to 2012.
Some of the chemicals were stolen from accidents
and/or spillage scenes
Chemical Safety management in Transport corridors
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Building capacity to deal with hazardous goods safety
management along the supply chain involving NADMO,
Ghana Road Safety Committee, MTTU, Drivers certified
to carry restricted cargo, DVLA (with vehicles defined to
carry categories of cargo)
Elaborate capacity building for staff of GPHA and critical
stakeholders as Train-the-trainer group for sustainability
and institutionalization in the Ports operation. (some the
groups will include Customs, clearing agents, hazardous
goods importers, security agencies, transport owners
and companies etc)
Set up dedicated terminals/depots for (specific)
dangerous cargo and train staff in cargo handling and to
ensure right vehicles, drivers, fastening before dispatch
Thank you
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