Brandweerinformatiecentrum voor gevaarlijke stoffen

The Brandweerinformatiecentrum voor gevaarlijke stoffen/Information Centre for Dangerous Goods (BIG)established Flemish city Geel, collects and validates information on dangerous goods.

History

BIG arose in 1979 after a number of serious environmental calamities in the middle of the seventies as an coorperation between the city Geel (represented by the local fire service), Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen and the department applied sciences of the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. The aim was to develop an information centre for dangerous goods for assistance for fire services.

Database

Every year they bring out a selection of their chemical database out on DVD. This selection, called BIG Kaleidos database, is a selection of validated data concerning 20 000 chemical substances and mixtures aviable in 13 languages. If one takes a subscription one receives an annually update. This database contains more than 250 properties going from fysico-chemical properties, safety and prevention measures, transport legislation and so much more. One can use a single user-version or a network version.

It is important at an incident scene to identify as soon as possible the substance identification and to take the appropriate measures. Information and communication play a vital role. For this reason they developed an application for the PPC (Pocket personal computer), the Kaleidos pocket.

Emergency Response Service

BIG is an 24 on 24 hours aviable emergency centre, when there are accidents with dangerous goods. The supplied information is in this situation always free. Belgian and foreign emergency services use of this service when they must act at chemical accidents scenes. For companies there is an payment for emergency service. Those companies can mention the BIG emergency number on their documents and packiging. Emergency centre: +32 (0) 14 58 45 45

Safety data Sheet

BIG develops safety dates Sheets in accordance with the applying EU legislation (according to (EC) no. 1907/2006 (REACH, Article 31 and annex II). The safety data sheets are available in several languages. The layout of SDS are also aviable in occordance the local legislation and the new applying classification according to EU GHS/CLP. Safety Data Sheets are available in following basic languages:

• Dutch, French, English, German
• Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
• Swedish, Danish
• Al other languages are available as a translation.

Consultancy

BIG can help companies with environmental and other legislation concerning dangerous goods (European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road,International Air Transport Association,International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail,etc). Recent BIG has also started an outsourcing service.

REACH

• Inventarisation of substances, mixtures and articles
• Pre-registration
• Data Gap Analysis
• Develping Chemical Safety Report and the technical dossier
• Evaluation testdata
• Exposure- and risk Characterisation
• PBT/vPvB-assesment
• IUCLID 5
• Safety data sheet according to REACH
• Autorisation application
• Consultancy for the SIEF/consortium
• To help authorities to develped annex XV dossiers
• Third party representive for EU manufacturer
• Only representitive for non EU manufacturer

External links

• Website Brandweerinformatiecentrum voor gevaarlijke stoffen

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