During this past summer, an unexpected safety inspection targeting vehicles carrying hazardous materials found that nearly 15% of the vehicles examined had violations.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) recently released the outcomes of a five-day enforcement initiative held from June 10 to 14, which focused on the inspection of hazardous materials and dangerous goods.
This annual, surprise HM/DG Road Blitz involved 45 jurisdictions from both the United States and Canada. A total of 3,929 inspections were carried out on trucks transporting hazardous materials. From these inspections, 576 vehicles were cited for violations, with some taken out of service until issues were remedied.
The most frequent violation observed was for “shipping papers violations,” totaling 169 incidents across North America. Loading and securement issues were the second most common, with 116 noted during the five days.
“Loading and securement requirements prevent cargo/goods/materials from moving in a manner that would cause damage to the package, resulting in leaking, spilling, etc. in a commercial motor vehicle,” CVSA explained. “This is especially important when it comes to the transportation of (hazardous materials/dangerous goods).”
Additional violations identified included issues with placarding, labeling, and marking.
Despite the violations found, most vehicles met safety standards. Inspectors awarded 1,009 CVSA decals to commercial vehicles, indicating that “there were no critical vehicle or specification cargo tank violations” for over 25% of the inspected fleet.
The CVSA notes that the aim of this unannounced hazardous materials enforcement blitz is to:
- Remove from roads those vehicles that have violations concerning hazardous materials/dangerous goods,
- Highlight the significance of the programs and regulations essential for the safe transport of hazardous substances,
- Acknowledge those drivers and carriers who comply with safety regulations,
- Praise the dedicated inspectors committed to upholding transportation safety by scrutinizing hazardous materials carriers,
- Detect compliance issues related to shipping documents, placarding, labeling, packaging, and loading.
“The transportation of (hazardous materials/dangerous goods) demands rigorous training and heightened compliance requirements,” stated CVSA. “For motor carriers and drivers, safely transporting (hazardous materials/dangerous goods) is imperative to the safety of the driver, the public and the environment.”
This year saw a notable reduction in the number of inspections, with just over half the amount compared to 2023’s total of more than 7,500, which discovered 2,578 violations.
Source: Land Line
