DCN AUGUST Edition 2019

INDUSTRY OPINION
More than just a lick of paint
Dr Brendan McAuliffe argues for using different paints on shipping containers
to improve both environmental and workplace safety outcomes
SINCE FIRST BEING INTRODUCED
to international trade in 1956 the
shipping container has seen a remarkable
increase in importance. In 1968 fewer
than one million containers were shipped
around the world, by 2016 this had
increased to 182m.
More than 90% of items shipped
internationally use shipping containers. The
shipping container has profoundly changed
global trade by facilitating reliable and cheap
transportation of goods. This, in turn, has
had far-reaching consequences. On the
positive side it has driven down the price
of items. On the downside there has been
the environmental impact with an increase
in carbon dioxide emissions. The growth
in the packing and unpacking of shipping
containers has presented hazards to both
employees and employers for example:
• Hazardous fumes – fumigants used for
pest control, off gassing from products
shipped in the containers.
Manual handling – heavy lifting.
• Falling objects – due to shifts in the
contents due to transport, falls of
containers in container stacks.
ELIMINATING HAZARDS
Where a hazard is identified, elimination
is the primary goal. If elimination is
impossible, the hazard must be controlled
as practically as possible to minimise risk to
workers. Safe Work Australia has developed
a series of information sheets to provide
practical guidance for Australian workers to
manage health and safety risks associated
with unpacking shipping containers,
including exposure to hazardous chemicals,
for example fumigants and solvents.
Suggestions by Safe Work Australia to
eliminate or minimise exposure of workers
to hazardous chemicals in shipping
containers include using barriers and
warning signs as well as providing workers
with personal protective equipment.
In 2011, Safe Work Australia conducted
research in Melbourne investigating the
presence of residual chemicals in shipping
containers. They surveyed 76 containers
and found airborne hazardous chemicals in
74 of the 76 containers. The most common
hazardous chemical residues identified
are fumigants and solvents. Toluene
(92.1%) and xylene (73.7%) were the most
commonly identified airborne hazardous
chemicals in the shipping containers tested.
When workers were interviewed during this
research, it was identified those exposed
to the airborne hazardous chemicals were
more likely to report symptoms of memory
loss, asthma, irritation of the eyes, dryness
of the mouth and dryness of the throat.
ADDITIONAL RISKS
In addition to the health effects from
exposure to these chemicals, solvents
are highly flammable and cause fire and
explosion risks when exposed to heat,
sparks or a naked flame. The combined
impact of health effects and fire risks
BENEFITS OF WATER-BASED TECHNOLOGIES
By transitioning from traditional solvent coatings to new, cutting-edge
water-based technologies the shipping container maintenance and repair
industry will benefit from:
• increased workplace health and
fewer worker sick days;
safety;
• lower overall risk profile for the
• reduced risk in the supply chain
work site, reducing insurance;
by not having to handle dangerous
better environmental footprint;
goods in their cargo; • extremely low investment cost.
Natnan Srisuwan
56 August 2019
thedcn.com.au