According to a survey by the Federal Highway Research Institute, there are around 40,000 truck accidents on Germany’s roads every year. Accidents involving hazardous materials accounted for around 150 of these. Sounds little at first, but it is precisely these “few” events that can have serious consequences for people, the environment and the national economy. Due to the leakage of the transported hazardous material and the resulting environmental damage, the economic costs of a tanker accident can be twice as high as those of a “normal” freight transport accident.
If a hazardous materials accident occurs, the transporter can only be recovered by special emergency forces. These are equipped with protective equipment and have the necessary means to neutralize the hazardous substances. The most important thing here: it must be clear which hazardous substance they are dealing with. Although there is an obligation to label hazardous goods, it becomes difficult as soon as the vehicle catches fire. The Hazardous Goods Ordinance stipulates that label numbers must still be legible even after a fire lasting 15 minutes, but numerous accidents in the past showed a different picture – conventional warning signs are not always decipherable in / after a fire.
Our fireproof hazardous goods warning signs provide a remedy. The numbers and letters are punched out of the support elements for better legibility in case of fire and filled with plastic. In the event of fire, the plastic melts, leaving behind clearly legible punched-out numbers and letters. Get an idea of the quality of our boards – the company Hoechst has tested them.
