Dangerous Goods Transportation: Get All the Rules and Answers

The main legal requirements for transporting dangerous goods in South Africa are:

• Drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods must have a valid PrDP-D (Professional driving permit - dangerous goods) and be over the age of 25.
• Fleet operators must register their vehicles and trailers as dangerous goods operators.
• Drivers must complete the specific preliminary, pre-loading, and post-loading checks.
• Vehicles used for the transport of dangerous goods must carry a Transport Emergency Card for each dangerous goods item in the load.
• Placards must be placed correctly on the vehicle and trailer.

To transport dangerous goods by road, operators must receive a permit from The Department of Disaster and Emergency Services (DEMS). Operators must also follow all the rules and regulations set out by the South African National Standard for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road (SANS 10231).

The SANS 10231 goods trigger determines whether or not your load of dangerous goods crosses the legal threshold of 1000 units. If it exceeds this limit, your fleet must strictly adhere to the SANS 10231 operational rules and regulations.

A fleet system assists with transporting dangerous goods by helping businesses stay compliant with SANS 10231. A fleet system will assist with:

• Predictive and preventative maintenance
• Driver ID
• Route optimisation
• Geofences
• Driver monitoring
• Cameras to monitor the road, cargo and the driver
• GPS tracking
• Temperature sensors

Cartrack’s fleet management system starts at R1 699. But the true cost will depend on your fleet. This includes how many vehicles you have, the types of vehicles, any add-ons, etc.

Dangerous goods aren’t exactly forbidden to be transported, but they are strictly regulated. If the goods you’re transporting are considered too unstable, highly reactive, too toxic to be moved safely, exceed the permitted limits or aren’t packaged correctly, they’re considered “forbidden”.

Dangerous goods that can't be transported together are:

• Explosives and many other dangerous goods
• Acids and Alkalis
• Oxidising agents and flammables
• Water-reactive substances and aqueous solutions
• Toxic substances and foodstuffs
• Organic peroxides and all other dangerous goods

The rules on transporting dangerous goods by road are:

• Drivers and operators need specialised permits, licences and training
• Packaging and placards must follow strict instructions set out by SANS 10231
• All documentation must be readily available
• All safety equipment must be in the vehicle

An orange danger warning diamond on the front of the vehicle must be displayed on the vehicle. There must also be three placards for each cargo containment area. One at the rear and one on each side of the containment area. Placards must be visible from the roadside (no specific requirements for position), and they must all be clean and undamaged.

According to the environmental legislation, the owner or operator of the vehicle will be held legally responsible in the event of an environmental spill. They’ll be held responsible for the immediate reporting, containment, and site cleanup as well as the ecological rehabilitation.

Your fleet carrying dangerous goods must go through a comprehensive mechanical compliance inspection every 12 months.

There aren’t any specific rules regarding dangerous goods tracking and telematics; however, having tracking and telematics can assist with keeping your fleet compliant. Factors like real-time location and speed tracking, route optimisation, driver behaviour monitoring, data logging, and preventative and predictive maintenance all assist in keeping your fleet compliant with SANS 10231.

The legal penalties for a fleet owner if their driver bypasses a municipal Hazmat bypass route are:

• Fines and demerit points
• Suspended vehicles
• Cancelled or suspended operator cards
• Criminal charges
• Liable for damages, clean-up and civil damages