Diesel stays classed as dangerous goods

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has failed to persuade the government to change the legislation that reclassifies diesel as dangerous goods.
Following its meeting with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and the Department for Transport (DfT), the FTA said the regulations are unwelcome, but here to stay.
The FTA estimated the cost to industry at £75m over 10 years. It warned that the main impact of the rules, which come into force in March 2004, will be on equipment users like the construction and plant industries that carry diesel in drums and bowsers.
FTA dangerous goods policy manager Chris MacRae said: "We made it clear to the HSE and DfT just who will be affected and the potential for operational disruption that will be caused by rules that treat an empty 500-litre diesel fuel bowser in the same way as a 30,000-litre petrol tanker."
It has called for the proposals to be pragmatically handled and believes that the existing Control of Pollution Regulations already provide adequate precautions against spillages. While the HSE agreed to review certain aspects, it said it must meet EU harmonisation requirements.
MacRae said this was encouraging, but operators will still have to pay for specialist driver training, vehicle equipment and additional documentation requirements.