CARGOCONNECT-MARCH2024 - Flipbook - Page 59
“The chemical supply chain management industry faces numerous regulatory
challenges, which can vary depending on the speci昀椀c chemicals being handled,
the countries in which they are being transported or used, and the industry
regulations in place. These challenges can impact everything from sourcing and
production to distribution and waste management,” points out Urvishkumar
Solanki, Assistant Manager– Corporate Supply Chain, Tata Chemicals.
“However, these also highlight the importance of knowing whether goods
are compliant across regulations and geographies and the vital need for relying
on a trusted and transparent partnership between companies and their logistics
providers.”
Supplementing Solanki’s statement, Singh shares, “Country-speci昀椀c rules entail
penalties if not adhered, necessitating transparent and visible communication
alongside product labelling and packaging conforming to UN standards, complete
with certi昀椀cations and documentation. Establishing proper Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) for each location and stakeholder helps streamline situations
involving messy documentation processes and enhances overall understanding.”
Patel from Reliance Industries provides key insights on some of the stringent
procedures they are compelled to follow. “We are required to obtain Form IX
license from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). We must also
coordinate with state pollution control boards and
local authorities to ensure safe and environmentally
friendly handling and transportation of our chemicals.
We follow tanker 昀椀ttings integrity and functionality
assurance under SMPV (U) Rules, 1981. We also adhere
to testing of Safety Relief Valve (SRV) and Excess
Flow/Internal Excess Flow Check Valve (EFCV/IEFCV)
under Rule 18 for our gas tankers. All our tankers are
tested for integrity through Hydro testing – Tanker
testing under Rule 19 for our gas tankers.”
Further, Patel elaborates, “As part of our internal
mandate – we have an in-house quality control
certi昀椀cate programme called Suraksha which is valid
throughout the system. It is KAIZEN through repeated
PDCA cycles and CA/PA interventions and provides
data driven QC of tank trucks. It has 110 checkpoints.
The current system capacity is 6000+ vehicles per
annum. In our Suraksha system, we have integrated
all the checks and inspections required as part of
Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) standards
and Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) noti昀椀ed
by the concerned authorities under Government of
India standards.”
UN guidelines on handling hazardous chemicals,
according to Patel, are far more detailed and developed
than the ones outlined and followed in India. ”But,
surpassing the evolving Indian regulatory environment
and the UN guidelines, at Reliance, our standards
and practices are much stricter and more detailed
than both.”
