The tanker truck loses its trailer: 10,000 liters of hydrocarbons on the road on 12/02/2022 in Normandy.

Pollution Risk for the Orne River Following a 10,000 L Hydrocarbon Spill on the Road

The tanker truck, coming from Caen, was delivering gasoline and diesel to a gas station in Argentan, sub-prefecture of the Orne. At the exit of a roundabout, in the commercial area of Argentan, the trailer detached from the truck. The tractor stopped about thirty meters further. 10,000L of hydrocarbons, out of the 27,000 L contained in the tanker, spilled onto the roadway.

Emergency Measures in Case of Accident, Defined by ADR

To limit the impact of an accident related to the transport of dangerous goods, the ADR regulation, which governs the transport of dangerous goods by road, defines the emergency measuresto be taken in the event of an accident by the driver. These measures are specified in the Written Instructions, a document that must be on board the vehicle, within easy reach of the driver.

The driver must notably:

- Alert the emergency services,

- Use the equipment defined by the ADR regulation to prevent leaks of substances dangerous to the aquatic environment or sewer systems, and try to contain spills.

This equipment to combat the risk of aquatic pollution, must be present on board the vehicle before loading and must remain there throughout the transport phase. It contains:

- 1 shovel

- 1 sewer cover protection

- 1 collection container

One can easily imagine that this equipment might not be very useful in the current case, with a spill of 10,000 L of hydrocarbons.

According to the ADR regulation, the driver will rather have a role of directing traffic, encouraging people present to leave the area and onlookers to avoid approaching, while also making sure to move away from the accident site themselves.

Crisis Unit to Avoid Pollution of the Orne and its Tributaries Following the Spill of 10,000L of Hydrocarbons

The rainwater from the area drains into the Baize, a tributary of the Orne. The main challenge is therefore to limit the risk of aquatic pollution in these watercourses. A crisis unit was set up with the sub-prefect of Argentan and the mayor of the town.

The emergency services, the SDIS of the Orne, deployed 9 vehicles including a vehicle for technological risk intervention

The installation of barriers helped to limit the risk of pollution. The prefecture specified the absence of pollution in the drinking water distribution networks for the population.

The investigation will determine the cause of the accident.

Emptying and Lifting Operations for the Detached Tanker

The remaining 20,000 L of hydrocarbons were transferred to other tankers before proceeding with the tanker lifting operations.

Accident Report for the Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA)

The accident report by the Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor (DGSA) must be made in one of the following four cases:

- Injuries or fatalities

- Loss of a certain quantity of dangerous goods (333 L for gasoline or 1,000 L for diesel)

- Estimated damage amount (including environmental damages) > €50,000

- Intervention of authorities and emergency services for at least 3 hours, including the closure of traffic lanes

The accident in Argentan meets several of these criteria. The advisor will therefore have to prepare the accident report and propose action plans to prevent the event from reoccurring.

CHAVANON Conseil, Your Safety Advisor Partner for the Transport of Dangerous Goods

Since 2015, CHAVANON Conseil primarily supports shippers but also transporters for the compliance of their operations related to the transport of dangerous goods.

These operations involve:

- the classification of goods,

- packaging,

- loading,

- securing,

- and all operations related to the shipment and transport of dangerous goods.

From regulatory monitoring to alerting on the responsibilities of stakeholders, we support and train all company actors.

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Source: Ouest France, Le Journal de l'Orne

Photos: SDIS61, Ouest France

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