3 General safety considerations
Clasification Society 2023 - Version 9.37
Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1442 – Inspection Programmes for Cargo Transport Units Carrying Dangerous Goods – (1 June 2012) - Annex 1 – Guidelines for the Implementation of the Inspection of Cargo Transport Units - 3 General safety considerations

3 General safety considerations

  3.1 Given the safety and health risks CTUs present, all inspections should be conducted with caution.

  • .1 CTU inspections should be carried out in safe areas. If it is necessary to carry out inspections in port areas, appropriate precautions should be taken to prevent persons being struck by vehicles.

  • .2 Precautions must be taken to minimize risks associated with entry and potential exposure during inspections.

  • .3 CTU inspections should not be carried out by individual inspectors, but by a team of at least two inspectors or in conjunction with a representative from the facility and/or carrier with custody of CTU.

  • .4 While inspecting a CTU, inspectors shall be alert to any attempt by facility personnel to inadvertently move that CTU.

  • .5 Inspectors should minimize the likelihood of slips, trips or falls especially while inspecting CTUs loaded on chassis or when climbing on to and walking along the tops of CTUs. Inspectors should follow applicable occupational safety regulations in order to view the CTU components (corner fittings, top side rails, roof, etc.) otherwise not readily visible from the ground. Inspectors should not climb any CTU if it is stacked on top of another CTU.

  • .6 Inspectors should observe caution when opening a CTU's doors as cargoes may have shifted and may be resting against the doors.

  • .7 Inspectors should not open a CSC containers doors if that container is part of a stack. CSC Container doors are a structural part of a container and, if opened while stacked, may compromise the structural integrity of the container and stack.

  • .8 Given possible interactions with hazardous materials, inspectors should not smoke while conducting inspections.

  • .9 Inspectors should be aware of the potential hazards of the atmosphere inside CTUs. These may result from residues from previous cargo, spillage from damaged packages inside the СTUs, hazardous cargoes, decomposition products, reduced oxygen content, fumigants and fumigant residues.

  • .10 Exposure through inadvertent ingestion, absorption, injection or inhalation of hazardous materials from a CTU may be harmful or fatal.

  • .11 Exposure to radioactive materials may pose potential health risks. Inspectors should be aware of the commodities reportedly contained within the CTU and should be in possession of appropriate radiation monitoring equipment.

  3.2 Inspectors should be familiar with procedures of response to hazardous material releases or exposures established by local authorities.

  • .1 Inspectors should immediately egress from the exposure area and muster in a safe location upwind. This action is referred to as an emergency egress. The following, among others, are indications of possible exposure that should require immediate emergency egress:

    • .1 leaks, odours, or sounds (such as when compressed gas is released);

    • .2 atmospheric monitor or meter alarms;

    • .3 feelings of dizziness, light-headedness or shortness of breath; and

    • .4 unexpected chemical smells or dermal sensations such as burning.

  • .2 Actions to be taken in an emergency egress include immediate notification to the facility so that response plans can be activated.

  • .3 Inspectors should not re-enter any CTU until it has been determined that it is safe to do so.

  3.3 Provisions should be in place for swift emergency medical treatment:

  • .1 Chemical specific emergency response information should be available during inspections and consulted for appropriate initial decontamination in the event of exposure to a hazardous material. The inspector should be aware of appropriate emergency medical services such as hospitals, fire departments, first aid stations, and chemical decontamination stations.

  3.4 Inspection controls should be established for specific hazards.

  • .1 Shipments of radioactive materials, identified in section 2.7.2 of the IMDG Code, should be inspected taking into account the unique nature of the hazard. Radioactive materials shipped properly pose little risk of exposure and are required to be prepared in compliance with the same standards as all other hazardous material shipments. The inspection of radioactive materials should be done with extreme caution.

  • .2 CTUs, with toxic commodities bearing the labels of 2.3 or 6.1 or with "FUMIGANT" warning signs as per paragraph 5.5.2.3.2 of the IMDG Code, may be opened but should only be inspected visually without having the inspector cross the plane of the doorway if it has not been adequately ventilated.

  • .3 Even if Fumigant warning signs are not posted, inspectors should look for signs or indicators of fumigant having been applied to the CTU.

Parent topic: Annex 1 – Guidelines for the Implementation of the Inspection of Cargo Transport Units
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