State-of-the-art: handling of hazardous goods at the Monheim

Thanks to rising customer demand, the arvato services healthcare site in Monheim near Düsseldorf, with a total storage area of 6,000 m², has developed particular expertise in the handling of hazardous goods in recent years. Category 2 (gases), 3 (inflammable materials), 6 (poisons), 8 (caustic materials), and 9 (various material characteristics) hazardous goods are currently stored, packaged and shipped in conformance with hazardous material requirements in an area covering 600 m².

Klaus Klatt, head of the Dangerous Goods Regulation (DGR) department at arvato services healthcare in Monheim, explains: “In conformance with hazardous material requirements means that arvato services healthcare has built up storage capacities to protect the environment and employees in accordance with the hazardous material classification. The hazardous materials can be stored in various temperature ranges, with constant system-based monitoring, in order to guarantee maximum safety.”

Packaging and labelling of the hazardous materials vary depending on the quantity and combination of the hazardous goods as well as the type of transport selected (road, air, sea transport). “The safe handling of these products can only be ensured if we continuously undergo advanced training in accordance with the latest legal regulations. We have therefore developed and introduced a special training programme. All employees who deal with hazardous materials participate and are regularly tested,” says Klatt.

The training programme includes training in accordance with the IATA (International Air Transport Organization), ADR (European Agreement on International Transport of Hazardous Goods on the Road), IMDG Code (International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code) and RID (Regulation for International Distribution of Hazardous Goods by Rail).

Only UN-certified packaging materials, whether this involves the cartons, tape or filler material, are used to package the hazardous goods. The hazardous material shipment is marked with appropriate warning notices and prescribed information. After checking that the packaging and labelling conform to regulations, the accompanying documents are finally prepared. Depending on the mode of transportation, these are the ADR documents for road transport, the Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods for air freight or the IMO Declaration and possibly the container packing certificate for maritime transport.

“Our well-designed processes for handling hazardous materials correspond at all times to the high and constantly changing legal requirements. And of course to those of our customers,” adds André Sieberling, Site Manager in Monheim, and continues: “By undertaking the entire hazardous goods handling process on behalf of our customers, we relieve the burden on them – especially with regard to the many legislative changes in this area. As a result, our customers can concentrate fully on their core business.”

This is also reflected in the figures. Within the last five years, the number of hazardous goods shipments in Monheim has more than tripled to 15,000 shipments per year. Based on these developments, the hazardous goods storage facility has been expanded and offers new customers adequate resources for the safe storage, packaging and shipment of hazardous goods in accordance with regulations.