The biggest exposure to safety for any Petrochemical, Oil and Gas company has always been in the area of Road Transport operations. Not only are truck-drivers maimed and killed every year but third party road users and members of the public are also hurt and killed in the process.

With the transportation of Dangerous Goods (DG cargo) what makes more challenging, is the perilous nature of its load. About 60% of bulk chemicals carried by road tankers are hazardous to either human health or harmful to the environment – many have one or more of the many classifications of hazards.

Many DG Cargo have one or many of the following hazards: poisonous, toxic, corrosive, volatile, pressurized, explosive, flammable, and/or carcinogenic

A loss of containment from a minor traffic incident of a Dangerous Goods (DG) cargo truck, could trigger it to a full blown catastrophic accident of unimaginable magnitude.

It has been long established that a Heavy Goods Vehicle driver is a very exposed and a high-risk position, that requires not only good training but be competent in applying his knowledge and skill.

Unlike in Malaysia, in most developed countries, and some developing countries, a driver hauling dangerous cargo must be licensed as Dangerous Goods (DG) Cargo Driver.

To get a typical DG Cargo Driver license a driver need to be trained in Defensive Driving; understands Vehicle Dynamics and Pre-Drive Checks; is medically examined and declared fit to operate a heavy vehicle; is tested free of drug and alcohol dependency, and is knowledgeable of the product (MSDS) carried. Only when he passes the training, and is able to demonstrate his ability to manage the transport of the product safely, is he/she given a DG Cargo License and allowed to haul Dangerous loads.

Closer to home in Malaysia, the statistics is also not too comforting. In a small country with a population of about 24 million people, we have an average of about eighteen road accident fatalities per day. According to The Land Public Transport Commission, or Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (SPAD), heavy vehicles transporting goods have contributed to 28% of all road accidents in the country involving public vehicles with 116,037 accidents in 2010 and 125,648 in 2011. The Malaysian statistics also indicates about 3.6 Fatalities per 10,000 vehicles. The estimated cost of road transport accidents is estimated at RM9 billion per year, which equates to 3% of the national GDP.

The Advanced Heavy Vehicle Drivers Competency Programme (AHV-DCP) is a 2-day training with classroom, on the road coaching, assessment and also covers standard fatigue management package. The two-days Heavy Vehicle training modules are designed to provide trainees with the awareness, knowledge, skills and hands-on application of Defensive Driving techniques and methodology, see details below for details and features of the AHV-DCP.

For more details about the program, please contact Mr. Sany: sany@e-response.biz

Chemical Industries Council of Malaysia (CICM)
Wisma FMM, No.3, Persiaran Dagang, Jalan PJU 9, Bandar Sri Damansara,
52200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: +60 3 62867 200 Fax: +60 3 6277 6714 Website: www.cicm.org.my

IMI Awards
Fanshaws, Brickendon, Hertford, SG13 8PQ, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 19 92519038 Fax: +44 19 92519036 Website: www.imiawards.org.uk