Heavy Goods Vehicles
The following information is provided to guide you in the field of dangerous goods transportation.
During supervisory activities, it has been established that the vast majority of managers and specialists of dangerous goods transportation entities (hereinafter referred to as enterprises) do not control the process of inspections and tests of road tankers by experts from inspecting organizations (hereinafter referred to as experts), thereby violating the requirements of the Rules for Ensuring the Safety of Dangerous Goods Transportation by Road in the Republic of Belarus, approved by Resolution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus dated 17.05.2021 No. 35 (hereinafter referred to as the Rules), regarding ensuring control over the conduct of established road tanker inspections. However, to exercise control, it is important for managers and specialists to understand the subject of control itself (the purpose of inspections and tests, types of inspections and tests, scope of work performed, etc.).
In this material, to assist managers and specialists responsible for dangerous goods transportation safety, we will provide an approximate list of works that an expert from an inspecting organization should perform when conducting road tanker inspections and tests.
Approximate scope of work to be performed by an expert during inspections. As a rule, a road tanker inspection includes:
checking the availability of manufacturer's operational documentation for the vehicle and technological equipment;
external and internal inspection of the tanker;
hydraulic testing (leak tightness test);
checking operational equipment.
The expert is obliged to check the availability of operational documentation for the vehicle and all technological equipment (tanker, shut-off valves, breathing valves, bottom valves, bottom valve control units, pump, etc.).
The list of necessary operational documentation for special and technological equipment is usually specified in the operating manual or passport of the road tanker. In the absence of the required documentation, the operation of the road tanker must be prohibited until appropriate duplicates are developed (restored). Duplicates of operational documents can be requested from the road tanker manufacturer or developed by inspecting organizations.
External and internal inspection of the tanker.
The expert must perform a complete visual inspection of the internal part of the tanker body to identify any defects. For this, it is necessary to clean the tanker, use a gas analyzer to check the safe level of harmful substances inside the tanker. After that, dismantle the filler neck cover of the tanker, enter the tanker (if necessary, dismantle the baffles) and thoroughly inspect the internal surface of the tanker.
During the external inspection, the following are checked:
the condition of the tanker for any surface defects and leakage;
the condition of the paint coating;
fastening of the tanker to the chassis, fastening of structural elements of the tanker;
tanker marking, availability of appropriate hazard signs, stamps, and inscriptions;
serviceability of grounding devices.
Hydraulic testing. One of the most important stages of road tanker inspections and tests is hydraulic testing.
Hydraulic testing is carried out to check the strength and tightness of the tank during its operation. Hydraulic testing cannot be replaced by another type of testing (pneumatic), unless otherwise specified in the current Regulations. Before hydraulic testing, the tank must be dry and clean so that any leakage can be detected. If the ambient temperature is below 0ºС, hydraulic testing must be carried out in a heated (warm) room. For hydraulic testing, the tank must be filled with water, hermetically sealed, and, using special devices (hydro-press), the required excess water pressure must be created (but not less than 1.3 times the maximum working pressure). As a rule, the tank is kept under excess pressure for at least 15 minutes.
Both the tank as a whole and each compartment (if any) are subjected to hydraulic testing. During hydraulic testing, the breather valves must be dismantled, and the openings for installing the breather valves must be plugged.
The tank is considered to have failed the hydraulic test if one of the following defects is detected during the tests:
leakage;
unjustified pressure drop during tests;
residual deformation.
Inspection of operational equipment.
Inspection of operational equipment allows determining whether the operational equipment and its marking comply with the requirements of technical documentation and whether it is suitable for the conditions of further safe operation of the tank truck.
During the inspection of operational equipment, the expert must check:
whether all operational equipment is installed on the tank truck, correctly secured, and functions in accordance with the requirements of the manufacturer's technical documentation;
pipelines, valves, cooling (heating) system, sealing gaskets are checked for corrosion, wear, leakage, etc.;
the condition of devices for tightening (fixing) manhole covers, flange connections for the absence or loosening of bolts or nuts;
check the serviceability and testing of the tank's breather valve for correct opening at the activation pressure and subsequent automatic hermetic closing. For this, the breather valve must be installed on a special test bench, adjusted, and sealed if there is a sealing location.
Inspection deadlines.
periodic inspection no later than every 6 years – for built-in tanks (tank trucks), demountable tanks, and battery vehicles;
intermediate inspection at least every 3 years – for built-in tanks (tank trucks), demountable tanks, and battery vehicles after the initial and each periodic inspection.
For reference: intermediate inspections can be carried out within three months before or after the specified date.
unscheduled inspection is carried out if, as a result of repair, design change, or road accident, the reliability of the tank or its equipment could have decreased.
Requirements for inspecting organizations.
Before concluding a contract for the inspection and testing of a tank truck, it is necessary to ensure that the inspecting organization meets the following requirements and conditions:
the inspecting organization has a valid accreditation certificate for compliance with the requirements of the fundamental standard GOST ISO/IEC 17025-2019 (ISO/IEC 17025:2017);
the scope of accreditation for the specified certificate includes:
as an object of testing – tanks intended for the transport of dangerous goods;
as documents containing requirements for the test object, the relevant sections of Annex A to ADR and the Rules;
regarding the research (testing) and measurement method – GOST EN 12972-2020 Tanks for the transport of dangerous goods. Metallic tanks. Testing, inspection and marking (GOST EN 12972-2020) "Tanks for the transport of dangerous goods. Metallic tanks".