QCC issues guidelines on transporting hazardous materials in Abu Dhabi, in cooperation with Integrated Transport Center

The guide has been issued to enhance the safety of roads in Abu Dhabi and to ensure that the mandatory rules and regulations in line with the relevant legislations are followed while transporting hazardous materials.

The guide focuses on managing and controlling the transport of hazardous materials and safety measures during transport to reduce risks to workers, assets and the environment. The guide also deals with the requirements of obtaining permits to transport hazardous materials for companies, vehicles and drivers, and determining the path on the road network.

His Excellency Badr Khamis Al-Shamili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standardization Services Sector at the Council and the Chairman of the Permanent Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards, said that the main guidelines are based on the UAE national regulations as well as on international regulations and agreements, such as the latest European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR 2021).

The Integrated Transport Center in its clarification on the guide specified the legal responsibilities of the concerned parties, and the application of safety measures that must be taken into account during the transport of hazardous materials to reduce the risks for workers or the general public who may be exposed to, or become victims of any damage caused to the environment or infrastructure, in the event of non-compliance with safety procedures.

The guide provides classification of hazardous materials with details on packing, and labeling of packages, vehicles and tanks used in transportation in line with regional and international standards and specifications.

The manual also details the requirements and training records to ensure the provision of equipment and qualified personnel to supervise the transport of hazardous materials, and the conditions for their transport in terms of packing and mixed loading, as well as restrictions on passage through tunnels and parking lots.

Apart from these specifications, the need for an electronic vehicle tracking system that must be installed on vehicles used is also mentioned in the guide as a mandatory requirement for handling and transporting hazardous waste. Determining the requirements of transport permits in each emirate for companies, vehicles, drivers and road lanes, inspection requirements and a list of penalties for violations are also listed in the guide.

The guide has been issued after the approval of the Permanent Technical Committee for Abu Dhabi Technical Standards. A team of the committee comprising representatives of the Integrated Transport Center, the Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority, and the General Command of Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Center for Waste Management (Tadweer), Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Center for Public Health, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and the General Administration of Customs in Abu Dhabi, worked on the completion of the guide.

The guide can be downloaded from QCC’s website - https://qcc.gov.ae/ar-ae. The guide will be continuously updated based on latest data on international best practices, contributing to establishing an effective and safe transport system that serves the public interest and contributes to economic growth, which in turn will improves the quality of life and maintains environmental sustainability in Abu Dhabi.