Loading, unloading, and vehicle stowage practices
What this domain tests
This domain tests the practical handling of a dangerous goods load: securing it, keeping it upright and separated, and controlling the area during loading and unloading. Poor stowage causes the leak, rollover or reaction that the paperwork was meant to prevent.
Core rules
- Secure every package against forward, sideways and vertical movement. Use chocks, straps, load bars or dunnage appropriate to the package.
- Load heavy items low and spread the weight. Keep labels, placards and emergency information visible.
- Before loading or unloading: switch off the engine, apply the parking brake, use wheel chocks, prohibit smoking and keep unauthorised people away.
- Keep incompatible goods separated in the vehicle. Do not stow corrosive or toxic packages above food, feed or drinking water.
- Use personal protective equipment and a spill kit when handling leaks or damaged packages. Never leave a loaded vehicle unattended without securing it.
Worked example
A driver loads 200-litre drums of flammable liquid. Reasoning: the drums must stand upright, be chocked and strapped so they cannot roll, and be separated from any oxidizer on the same vehicle. The engine must be off during loading, smoking must be prohibited, and the Class 3 placards must stay visible. Loading the drums on their sides without chocks would allow movement and leakage.
Traps
Relying on the tailgate alone; placing heavy drums above light packages; loading corrosives above food; leaving the engine running during transfer; failing to check that placards remain visible after loading.