Finland reports significant deficiencies in hazardous materials transportation safety

Transporting hazardous materials in Finland reveals numerous deficiencies each year. The country moves tens of millions of tons of dangerous substances across various transport routes annually. According to recent statistics, Finland’s performance is average by European standards, with notable shortcomings still present in transportation safety. A frequent issue is improper securing of cargo, as stated by Anu Häkkinen, a leading expert at Traficom.

Inspections by police, the Border Guard, and customs have uncovered deficiencies in vehicles and shipping documents, with issues appearing in about one-third of the checked transports. For instance, from January to September this year, there were 51 cases where drivers lacked the necessary equipment for transporting hazardous materials. While these deficiencies may seem minor, they pose significant risks—especially if crucial items like fire extinguishers are missing or malfunctioning, warns Police Inspector Kari Onninen.

Some companies, in a bid to cut costs on transport and packaging, have even concealed dangerous goods within regular freight. In extreme cases, vehicles are not labeled as transporting hazardous materials, and explosives may be hidden among standard cargo, constituting a criminal offense.

Unmarked transportation can also create severe hazards for emergency responders during accidents, leaving them unaware of potential threats posed by hazardous materials. All parties in the transport chain, including packers, senders, drivers, and receivers, share responsibility for safety. Annually, around 1,800 to 2,000 inspections related to hazardous material transports are conducted.

Traficom reports approximately 20 to 30 hazardous materials incidents per year, primarily on roads, while rail incidents usually involve minor leaks from venting. Marine and air transport accidents involving hazardous materials are rare. Regular training and simulation exercises are conducted by emergency services to handle such scenarios effectively.