Handling bitumen safely

Bitumen is liquid when hot but turns solid at ambient temperatures. When mixing asphalt or producing roofing membranes, bitumen needs to be in a liquid state. This means that bitumen will be hot during many processes from production to transport, storage and handling. It is important, therefore, that everyone involved in handling bitumen and bituminous materials follows the relevant best practice guidelines and takes appropriate precautions.  

In accordance with Eurobitume’s mission, ‘to promote the efficient, safe use of bitumen in road, industrial and building projects throughout Europe‘, on behalf of our members we research key health, safety and environment (HSE) issues and publish a wealth of operational, safety and environmental guidance – developed in association with our members - in multiple European languages.

Safe Delivery of Bitumen Guide

One of Eurobitume’s important safety documents is our Guide to the Safe Delivery of Bitumen. Bitumen is hot when loaded onto tankers, transported and discharged, therefore it can present risks that can be managed by following the good practices detailed in the Safe Delivery Guide.

Developed by industry experts from Eurobitume and our member companies to help reduce this risk and avoid accidents, the guide clearly defines the responsibilities of all parties involved in the loading, transportation and discharge of bitumen, a summary of best practices and draws upon exhaustive research and years of practical experience.

The scope of operational advice and best practice guidelines within this Eurobitume Guide to the Safe Delivery of Bitumen covers the following areas:

• Basic delivery site conditions
• Personal protective equipment
• Delivery vehicle equipment
• Operation and maintenance of storage tanks and associated pipework
• Procedures for deliveries
• Training in handling and transportation
• Safety documentation
• Site inspection

The standard European version of Eurobitume’s Guide to the Safe Delivery of Bitumen reflects European legal requirements and ADR (The European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road) regulations.

To make this important safety information easily accessible and appropriate in countries throughout Europe, Eurobitume has made the Safe Delivery Guide available in a number of translated versions, either by providing a different language version of the European document or a national version. The national versions have been customised to reflect any regulatory and safety data specific to that country.