Chemical Express majors on training

DRIVING SAFETY HOME

TRAINING • IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS AND ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS, CHEMICAL EXPRESS FOCUSES ON RIGOROUS SAFETY TRAINING AND VEHICLE STANDARDS

CHEMICAL EXPRESS HAS just celebrated its 40th anniversary, a wonderful milestone for any business. The key to its success with growth and customer retention is put down to an engrained attitude towards safety and being able to ensure the highest levels of safety for people and products in transport.

“When I meet a new customer for the first time, they usually ask me ‘how can you guarantee that our chemicals will be transported in a safe way?’ or ‘how do you train your drivers to handle difficult situations and emergencies, such as fires or product spills?’,” says Francesco Mattozzi, account manager at Chemical Express. “For Chemical Express, safety must be the main element of the transport service in order to protect all people involved and the environment, and making staff aware of any potentially unsafe situations or, in case of dangerous situations happening, how to deal with them.”

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Training for individuals includes a comprehensive evaluation of potentially dangerous scenarios that they may encounter and how to react appropriately. Nevertheless, in addition to the theoretical knowledge, Chemical Express insists its employees must show they have the ability to carry out required emergency operations with competence, swiftly and securely.

“For many years, Chemical Express has arranged regular practical tests in order to verify drivers’ skills. If they have previously had training in an area, the tests are refresher training to show they are familiar with handling it correctly,” says Mattozzi.

The dangerous situations that Chemical Express simulates with its team include: • Fires • Product spillages • Both scenarios simultaneously

“These tests are done with the help of a specialist company that prepares the ‘danger situation’ simulations. During these tests, the instructor checks that the driver performs the operations correctly, following the rules received,” explains Mattozzi.

However, being a part of a simulation and theorising about scenarios is only part of the training. Video and photographs of previous incidents, such as the explosion involving a road tanker in Bologna in August 2018, are used as case studies and examples of how swiftly – and easily – disasters can strike.

“Drivers must understand that even the smallest distraction can cause terrible accidents,” says Mattozzi. “For this reason, headsets and seat belts are mandatory, and the use of mobile phones during driving is absolutely forbidden. Drivers are subject to continuous checks from our company and in the event that the drivers are discovered to contravene these rules, disciplinary sanctions are enforced.”

Additionally, there are further training programmes employed by Chemical Express for its drivers and employees that are designed to reduce the factors that contribute to disasters. These courses include: • Defensive driving • Use of personal protective equipment • Working at heights

“Therefore, when I’m asked how we can guarantee safety during transport I reply: ‘By being aware of the dangers, by implementing a continuous training programme, by utilising the most advanced technical safety equipment, but above all, transmitting our corporate safety culture to all the employees and the drivers. We ensure it is applied in all daily activities, even the simplest ones. Espousing our vision and putting safety first all our staff is how we are able to assure safe transport for our customers,” says Mattozzi.

KITTED OUT It is not just proper training that gives its customers peace of mind, but also the standards of the vehicles and equipment that Chemical Express uses to avoid dangerous scenarios and create a safe environment.

“Our vehicles are equipped with advanced emergency braking systems, lane departure warning systems and are compliant with EC Regulation 661/2009 for trucks. There are walkways with anti-slip surfaces, handrails, air valves with a ground operator, lifeline for tank containers and more,” says Mattozzi. “However, the bit that is of most importance is that the training is both theoretical and practical for the drivers.”

Chemical Express, founded in 1979, offers tailor-made solutions by road, rail and sea to all its customers. Thanks to its flexible vehicle fleets, Chemical Express is able to meet the different needs of customers across Europe, with a concentration on liquid chemicals and industrial wastes, and products requiring temperature control. HCB www.chemicalexpress.it

CHEMICAL EXPRESS BELIEVES GOOD TRAINING IS VITAL

IF ITS EMPLOYEES ARE TO PROVIDE A SAFE SERVICE