Dangerous goods must have suitable protective packaging and it is vital that they are handled properly. If firms are careless in their approach, significant damage can be done to people, property and the environment.
Luckily for bosses, it is now straightforward to access suitable packaging and labelling. By heading online, managers can place their orders in a matter of moments and there is a wide variety of packaging goods to choose from.
Firefighters prepare for accidents
Unfortunately, mistakes are sometimes made when it comes to the storage and handling of hazardous goods, and when these incidents occur, the results can be disastrous. In some cases, firefighters are called in to deal with the accidents.
It is no surprise therefore that these emergency responders receive training to help them cope in such scenarios. Highlighting this fact, the Peterborough Telegraph recently reported that officers from the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS) have taken part in a drill for a chemical spill emergency.
The CFRS conducted the session at GE Power and Water along with a team of firefighters from St Neots who are specially trained to deal with hazardous materials. Wearing bright green gas-tight suits and breathing apparatus, some of the officers went into the building to rescue casualties while others practised skills such as full decontamination, water-sourcing, radio messaging and incident command.
Hard to recreate
Commenting on the exercise, watch commander Giles Grainger from Stanground black watch said: “Chemical exercises are by far some of the hardest to recreate in a training environment and having a location like GE, meant the firefighters could experience the atmosphere of a real incident. Although there were no real flames or harmful chemicals spilt, firefighters still benefited hugely from being able to use an unfamiliar site.
“We really appreciate local businesses like GE allowing us to use their facilities as it adds a greater training challenge for the firefighters who continually strive to expand their knowledge and develop their skill sets. The exercise went extremely well and we would like to thank GE for having us.”
Meanwhile, John Wilson from GE stated that the firm takes environmental health and safety very seriously and its close relationship with the CFRS is part of this. He added that exercises like the recent drill enable the company to practice in real time its emergency response plans. Using these experiences, the organisation can make improvements.
A false economy
Of course, not all firms demonstrate such a strong commitment to safety. Some organisations believe they can save time and money by cutting corners when it comes to risk management. However, as well as being dangerous, this can prove to be a false economy. After all, if an accident does occur as a result of negligence, firms can incur potentially sizable bills. They may also find themselves subject to costly legal action. Then there is the reputational damage to consider.
By paying attention to safety issues and sourcing suitable dangerous goods packaging, businesses stand to save money in the long-term.
About the Author – Anna Longdin is a freelance blogger who has written widely on the subject of dangerous goods packaging for a range of sites. This piece uses Air Sea Containers Ltd for research.