REGULATIONS 57
A FLYING START
The UN Sub-committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) held its 55th session in Geneva this past 1 to 5 July. This was the first of four planned meetings to develop the changes to the UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods that will appear in the 22nd revised edition, due for publication in early 2021. Those changes will then be picked up by the modal, regional and national authorities for implementation beginning in 2023.
vice-chair. It was attended by experts from 19 states, observers from Croatia, DR Congo, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey, and representatives of the EU, the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF), the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and 32 non-governmental organisations.
EXPLOSIVE ISSUES All matters relating to explosives were passed to the Working Group on Explosives (EWG), which met for four days under the chairmanship of Ed de Jong (Netherlands). The Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) queried the criteria used in Test 6(d), which is often referred to as the ‘unconfined package test’ and is welcomed internationally as a means of assessing the effects of explosives while still in their package. The 6(d) test is used for some explosives of Division 1.4S but, SAAMI said, the test criteria do not align with the original intention and, on the basis of experience since the test was introduced, these could be improved. In particular, SAAMI noted, it in effect creates two sets of 1.4S explosives, based on the assignment of special provision 347, which was not the intent. EWG agreed with the need for clarity as to
As is usually the case with the first session of the biennium, while there was a wide array of papers presented to the experts, few changes were agreed; rather, proposals have been sent back for further work or consideration. The meeting was chaired by Duane Pfund (US) with Claude Pfauvadel (France) as
Yuwei Li, director of the Sustainable Transport Division, informed the Subcommittee that, following the (somewhat reluctant) retirement of Olivier Kervella, Romain Hubert had been chosen to take the role of Chief of the Road Safety Management and Dangerous Goods Section as from 1 June.
what hazardous effects the 6(d) test is meant to identify and that the criteria should be reviewed and updated as necessary. It proposed to set up an informal correspondence group to examine the issues further; this group will be led by SAAMI and its conclusions will be considered by EWG prior to the submission of »
MULTIMODAL • THE 2019/2020 REGULATORY BIENNIUM OPENED WITH A PACKED AGENDA FOR A ONE-WEEK MEETING OF THE UN EXPERTS, THOUGH FEW DECISIONS WERE FINALISED
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