Some observations from behind the wheel:

• why do some carriers mount their rear placard holders as a square, instead of the square on point as required by the TDG regs?
• why does Canada use the DANGER placard? Other than the US, no other country has it.
• why is the limited quantity (LQ) mark changing? (see 16th Ed. UN model regs, figure 3.4.1) What was the matter with the UN number in a diamond? From an emergency responder viewpoint, the UN number in the diamond is the common sense way to do it.
• why do transit buses drive to the end of a turn lane and force their way into traffic? Under the Highway Traffic Act (HTA), the bus bay is where the bus stop is – not the end of the turn lane.
• why do transit buses force their way into the adjacent lane? The HTA only requires drivers to yield to buses exiting a bus bay.
• why do two (2) fully loaded trucks drive side by side up an incline?
• why does the driver behind you get upset when you stop for the changing light? Remember—a yellow light does not mean race through the intersection to beat the red light. (see HTA section 144)
• why do construction companies move their heavy equipment on public roads when not in compliance with the HTA for slow moving vehicles?
• why are drivers still using their electronic devices while behind the wheel?
• why don’t people use the parking spaces at a gas station? why do they have to park in front of the door blocking everyone else?
• why is the price of gasoline cheaper in the Maritimes than in the Toronto area?

Why, why, why???

Transport Canada has issued an EMERGENCY AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE for the certain Bell helicopters. This EAD is marked urgent.

Please see this PDF provided by Transport Canada for more information.

On June 28, 2010, Transport Canada issued an Advisory Notice about hot air balloons. This notice addresses two (2) issues with the Regulations:

1. an exemption
2. cylinder compliance

1. Exemption: Section 1.27 Operation of a Means of Transport or a Means of Containment Exemption of the TDG Regulations does provide an exemption for propane cylinders. The catch is that the hot air balloon must be flight-ready and the cylinders are attached to the hot air balloon. Once the cylinders are removed from the hot air balloon for refill or the hot air balloon is not flight ready, such as when transporting the hot air balloon in a trailer, the exemption no longer applies.

2. Cylinder compliance: in TDG, Section 5.10 Means of Containment for Class 2, Gases requires the selection and use of cylinders in accordance with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard B340. In addition, the manufacture of the means of containment (cylinder) must be done in accordance with CSA B339.

CSA B340 Selection and Use of Cylinders, Spheres, Tubes, and Other Containers for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods, Class 2:  this standard covers the safety requirements for selecting and using cylinders for the transportation of dangerous goods in Class 2. It also covers the requirements for filling and handling of cylinders for Class 2 dangerous goods.

CSA B339 Cylinders, Spheres, and Tubes for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods: this standard outlines the requirements for manufacturing, inspecting, testing, and marking of means of containment for Class 2 Gases, dangerous goods.

Please keep in mind that in TDG, Section 5.10 Means of containment for Class 2, Gases, that clauses 4.1.1.1, 5.1.3(a)(ii) and 5.1.4(a) of CSA B340 do not apply. In other words, equivalent means of containment are not permitted, the means of contaiment must meet CSA B340.

For more information see Transport Canada’s website.

Since July 7, the Charlotte Maersk has been burning just off Port Klang, Malaysia. The fire originated in approx. 150 containers and has since been knocked back to 130 containers. Officials estimate that temperatures are approaching 1,000°C.  There are 15 fire fighting experts on board. The high temperatures are hindering the fire fighting response. Unconfirmed reports indicate that a container may have exploded. All crew members are reported safe.

The Charlotte Maersk is an 8200 teu container vessel which was built in 2002.

Have you been shopping lately? Whether it is the grocery store, hardware store, big box store, whatever, you get the question: “Do you want a bag?”

Hello, of course I want a bag, how else am I going to carry my purchases to the car/home? But wait a minute, those bags will cost you 5¢ each. What? Why? “Because it’s company policy.”

Er, right – where does the money go? Well, one answer I received was “to the company”. For what purpose? “I don’t know”. Another reply was “well, the company has to buy the bags, so you have to pay for them”. And another, “…it’s the law.” Hey people, check your surroundings, that only applies in the City of Toronto – stop insulting our intelligence.

So what’s next? When we go to the checkout, are we going to be billed for the cashier’s time to check us out, because the company had to hire staff? Well, if that is the case, why are we not seeing price reductions where there are self-serve checkouts? And one store I was in, the bags are positioned so that the customer cannot access them. Hell, it wasn’t all that long ago that the bags were at the end of the checkout when the grocery stores forced self bagging on us.

From Stewardship Ontario: “That’s why those in the anti-bag-ban camp argue strongly that education rather than an outright ban is the key to changing consumer behaviour – and getting the public to apply the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) to how they deal with plastic bags.”

So why is everyone focused on the plastic bag? What about the packaging the consumer has to deal with? What about the blister packs for 5 screws? The amount of plastic used for a memory card? The amount of plastic used for a candle lighter? And why is there plastic being used in consumer packaging that is not recyclable?

Is there anyone in government that has their head screwed on straight so that we can get our priorities in the right order?