The UN system

The ultimate goal we have when packing dangerous goods is to pack it in a manner to prevent the escape of the material contained within it. International agreements for the carriage of dangerous goods require packaging to be of a design-type, certified by a national competent authority.

The United Nations have established a universal system for the classification, packaging, marking and labeling of dangerous goods. This system facilitates their safe transport. National and international regulations governing road, rail, sea and air transport are all based on the UN system. Under the regulations, packaging must meet standards of performance before it can be authorized for the carriage of dangerous goods.

If the goods pass the tests, described in Chapter 6.1 of the UN Model Regulations, packaging may be regarded as meeting the requirements and marked accordingly. Tests leading to the issue of a UN performance certificate and official GB mark may only be carried out by authorized test stations. These are bodies that are accredited specifically for the purpose of UN package testing by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

Accreditation ensures that the test facilities, expertise, reporting and all matters affecting the quality of testing meet the standards required. Some authorized test stations operate commercially, and the remainder are associated with packaging manufacturers or suppliers and will only test packaging they have produced themselves, or as a service to their customers. The Dangerous Goods Office itself does not test packaging.

2. Read the text and translate it:

SAFETY

Super-high speeds go in hand by hand with safety. Safety depends on many factors. First of all it is determined by the condition of the track. Track- testing cars driving slowly along the lines show the engineers where the track must be repaired. Many track maintenance machines can keep the track well maintained.

Railway safety depends on braking system. The problem of stopping trains was always paid attention to. The early brakes were unsatisfactory. They were hand-operated and the braking process was very dangerous. Then they were replaced by automatic air brakes, which stopped trains effectively and fast. Safety must be paid a great attention to, because our life essentially depends on this factor.

3. Learn words and word combinations:

1) railway safety безопасность на железной дороге

2) to go in hand by hand быть тесно связанным

3) to depend on зависеть

4) to determine определять

5) the condition of the track состояние пути

6) track- testing cars вагоны по испытанию пути

7) slowly медленно

8) to repair ремонтировать

9) track maintenance machines механизмы по ремонту путей

10) to keep the track поддерживать путь

11) well maintained в хорошем состоянии

12) braking system тормозная система

13) to apply a brake привести в действие тормоз

14) to pay attention to оказывать внимание

15) unsatisfactory неудовлетворительный

16) hand-operated приводимое в действие вручную

17) dangerous опасный

18) to replace заменять

19) automatic air brake автоматический пневматический тормоз

20) effectively эффективно

21) fast быстро

4. Translate the following word combinations:

To depend on many factors, first of all, the condition of the track, track- testing cars, to drive slowly, along the lines, to repair the track, track maintenance machines, to keep the track well maintained, to depend on braking system, to stop trains, the early brakes, to be unsatisfactory, to be hand-operated, a very dangerous braking process, to be replaced by automatic air brakes, to stop trains effectively and fast

5. Complete the sentences in accordance with the text:

1. Safety depends on ……….

2. Many track maintenance machines can keep ……...

3. Railway safety ……...

4. The early brakes were ………..

5. The braking process was ……...

6. Read the text and translate it: