NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

THE CARRIAGE OF DANGEROUS GOODS (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS (NORTHERN IRELAND) 2019

The Department for the Economy has, on 21 May 2019, made a Statutory Rule entitled “The Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019” (S.R. 2019 No. 111).

The Regulations will come into operation on 18 June 2019 and will amend the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (S.R. 2010 No. 160) in order to transpose, in part, in Northern Ireland, the radiological emergency preparedness and response requirements contained in the Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/Euratom) (the “Directive”) in relation to the transport of radioactive materials in Northern Ireland by road, rail and inland waterway.

The aim of the Directive is to update and simplify existing arrangements for radiological protection by bringing five directives and an EU Commission recommendation into one directive. Much of the Directive has already been implemented into NI legislation, including by means of the Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 and the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposures) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017.

As these Regulations only transpose new requirements contained in the Directive concerning emergency preparedness and response arrangements for the transport of radioactive materials, a further set of regulations will be made – to be known as the Radiation (Emergency Preparedness and Public Information) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 – to implement the remaining emergency preparedness and response aspects of the Directive i.e. in relation to sites that hold radioactive material.

The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (CDGNI) are the main regulations governing the transport of radioactive materials in Northern Ireland. The CDGNI regulates the transport of dangerous goods, but there are specific sections which deal with class 7 goods (radioactive) material. Regulation 20 of, and Schedule 2 to, the CDGNI sets out the current regulatory requirements in relation to preparing for and responding to radiological emergencies which occur during the carriage of radioactive material. These Regulations substitute a new regulation 20 of, and Schedule 2 to, the CDGNI.

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