Road checks not specific
IFA Industrial Committee Chairman Tom Dunne had accused the HSA of “ill-thought out interference in the fertiliser trade”, and said the HSA unwittingly allowed itself to be used to interfere with the flow of cheaper imported fertiliser product.
But HSA Chief Executive, Tom Beegan, said up to 600 vehicles may be checked each year countrywide at random and farmers are not specifically targeted.
He said farmers transporting fertiliser to their farms for their own use are not subject to the strict regulations which agricultural contractors, hauliers and co-ops must obey.
When carrying Ammonium Nitrate-based fertilisers, they must have safety equipment stored on the vehicle, including two fire extinguishers, two self-standing road warning signs, a suitable high-visibility warning vest for each crew member, and a pocket lamp.
Other requirements cover the type of packaging used, training for drivers, documentation which should accompany the goods, and vehicle markings.
A detailed information sheet on the legal requirements has been posted on the HSA website.
