Thread: Transport of Dangerous Goods

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Kathleen Arnold
Date: Sun, Mar 10, 2019 at 10:23 PM
Subject: Fwd: FW: TRANSPORT COMPANIES HAMSTRUNG BY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES REGULATIONS
To:


Hi everyone,

Please read this.It is important information from COLFO>
Kath

---------- Original Message ----------


From: Secretary@colfo.org.nz [mailto:secretary@colfo.org.nz]
Sent: Saturday, 9 March 2019 1:32 p.m.
To: Andrew Edgecombe; Apirana Dawson; Chaz Forsyth; Debbie Wakker; Debbie Wakker; Grant Fletcher ; John Bryce; Matt Kerr; Michael Dowling; Michael Dowling; Nic McKee; Paul Clark; Paul Clark COLFO; Phil Cregeen; rk98dean@inspire.net.nz
Subject: TRANSPORT COMPANIES HAMSTRUNG BY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES REGULATIONS
Importance: High



Please distribute this information to your organisations.



TRANSPORT COMPANIES HAMSTRUNG BY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES REGULATIONS:

You may have heard over a period of some months that there has been an issue with some courier companies changing their policies and refusing to transport class 1 substances. That includes ammunition, primers and smokeless powders.



In most instances it is not the decision of the courier company, but rather an enforcement of the Health & Safety at Work (Hazardous Substances) Regulations 2017 by Worksafe NZ. Effectively the Regulations state that class 1 substances cannot be moved through a Transit Depot. The courier company’s Transit Depots are the places where the courier van delivers goods for placement onto trucks to go to different areas of the country, ie the main depot.



At a main depot, the only place that class 1 substances can go into is a “Designated Transit Zone”. The key problem here is that this place is only for holding consignments where the mode of transport has changed. In other words, going from ship to truck ot truck to rail. It cannot be used for van to van or truck to van transfer of the hazardous substance.



Effectively, this means that currently there is NOWHERE for any class 1 substance to go if it is to be transported from town to town. This is what is causing courier and transport companies problems when it comes to transporting our class 1 hazardous goods such as ammunition and smokeless powders.



But let’s look at the nonsense of these regulations a little closer…Class 1 not only includes powders, ammunition and primers, it also includes Christmas crackers, party poppers, fireworks, ramset gun cartridges and emergency flares.



COLFO are currently working with Mainfreight, Toll and Worksafe around these issues and we are in the process of identifying an interim “fix” for these main transport companies to move ammunition and primers until the Regulations can be changed to accommodate class 1 substances. This will not be a quick fix. The process around legally changing the Regulations will be a 5 year one, so we are looking both short and long term here. COLFO will advise when the agreed interim ammunition and primer transportation “fix” is implemented.



Regarding the movement of smokeless powders across the Cook Strait - the issue is not with the ferries, the courier companies or Worksafe. Again, a “fix” is being worked on which COLFO are aware of but not yet involved in. We will seek involvement should we need to, but we understand that a solution may be on the horizon.



Meanwhile, effectively no class 1 substances can be transported because the 2017 Regulations prohibit our main courier companies from transiting the consignment through their depots. Worksafe has indicated to the courier companies that they will be policing and enforcing the Regulations regarding smokeless powders as currently written. This is their job; it is a legal requirement.



We must also caution that there are regulations around the amount of smokeless powder that a person may transport in their vehicles. If you are tempted to drive a consignment of class 1.3C or 1.4C for others, you must adhere to the strict Land Transport Rules, especially the rules around when a vehicle must display a Dangerous Goods placard and the requirement for a DG endorsement on your driver’s licence.



In summary, the courier companies are not to blame, Worksafe are required to enforce the Regulations inherited by them from the old HSNO Act. We are working together on a fix for our community. COLFO once again thanks you all for your support of our organisation, as your backing gives us the voice to get stuck in on your behalf to assist finding a solution. But as you all know nothing moves fast when legislation is involved and, with your continued support, COLFO are here for the long haul to help solve this problem.



Kind regards

Nicole McKee

Nicole McKee
Secretary
secretary@colfo.org.nz
Council of Licenced Firearms Owners Inc.
PO Box 24020, Manners Street, Wellington 6142, NZ
www.colfo.org.nz
+64 27 44 00 567
COLFO_logo

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