As we enter a season renowned for bonfires and fireworks, the logistics operations to transport these items into the supermarkets across the country. With Sparklers and Catherine wheels traditionally popular at bonfire parties during the Autumn and winter months it is vital that these products are delivered carefully to the store.

Operators need to treat fireworks as potentially dangerous cargo while moving them to the retailer. With the obvious dangers of the transporting petrol and flammable liquids, fireworks are perhaps overlooked due to their common presence at a range of social gatherings over the course of the winter. Because of this, drivers and other road users could treat them like other cargo, which could allow a dangerous situation to develop.

Many logistics operators carry a wide variety of goods. However, the FTA have said that it is important to know the proper method of transportation, and complies with the ADR regulations for the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. Operators diversifying their cargo without using the proper methods of transportation could be dangerous for the operators and those travelling on the road beside them.

In order to help and offer information and support for the safe transportation of fireworks, The FTA has published a briefing note from the Association’s Member Advice Centre. The note is available free to all members of the FTA and is a new release from their advice centre aimed at making sure that operators act according to the to the dangerous goods rules as well as making sure that the operators also comply with all of the other safety regulations applied to the operators of commercial vehicles.

The FTA Member Advice Centre answers more than 20,000 calls from their members each year. The Centre helps the FTA members to make sense of the range of different rules and regulations connected to safety that the road freight sector requires.