Freight container regulations

The Regulations apply to most types of freight container used at a place of work.

The Regulations require that the containers be:

Approved

This means the approval of the container in terms of its design and construction by an organisation appointed, in this country by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), to carry out this work.

• Approval of containers

Plated

The means having a safety approval plate fitted and containing the information required by Schedule 1 of the Regulations.

Maintained

This means maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

Periodically examined

Under the Regulations, this has to be carried out in accordance with arrangements that are approved by HSE

• Approval of examination schemes and container examination

Marked

Marked such that any Maximum Operating Gross Weight shown on the container body is consistent with the marking on the safety approval plate.

Further information

• Freight Container (Safety Convention) Regulations 1984, SI 1984, No 1890, (ISBN 0 11 047890 8), can be ordered online.
• ICHCA Safety Pamphlet No 11 ‘The International Convention for Safe Containers’