Shielding Your Hazmat Packages from Failure

The US Department of Transportation’s general packaging regulations require you to ensure your packages get from your facility to their destination without failure.

That means holding up to shocks, vibrations, and changes in temperature and pressure during transportation. Whether traveling the country roads of West Virginia, on a climb to 35,000 feet leaving O’Hare, on a train stopped under the desert sun in Arizona, or on a ship rolling with the waves of Galveston Bay, your shipments may experience extreme conditions that could compromise your inner packagings.

Take these steps to protect your packages from incidents in transit:

• Follow specified packaging instructions.
• Secure packages appropriately for your shipping mode.
• Get the right training.
• When in doubt, do not ship it out.

Follow the Instructions

When using UN specification packaging, you must follow the manufacturer’s written assembly and closure instructions for closing the package and inner packagings. Closures must be leakproof and secured against loosening.

Package According to the Shipping Mode

Hazmat by Ground
To ship hazardous materials by ground (e.g., ground or rail), your shipments must follow the Hazardous Materials Regulations found in Chapter 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Hazmat (or “dangerous goods”) by Air
Most major air carriers require air shipments of hazmat/dangerous goods to follow the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). If you do not follow the DGR, expect that your package will get delayed or rejected at some point in its journey.

Hazmat by Sea
Hazmat shipments meant for vessel transportation are also regulated differently than by air or ground. If your hazmat shipment will travel by vessel, you need to follow the IMDG Code. The IMDG Code allows a nation’s competent authority to determine how often training is required. In the US, the competent authority is DOT.

Get Training that Satisfies Your Needs

In the US, hazmat shippers have three training deadlines to keep in mind to stay compliant with training requirements. US DOT requires training every three years for hazmat ground shippers. The IATA DGR requires training every 24 months for hazmat air shippers. And think back to the note about US DOT being the “competent authority” in the US—what does that mean again? It means that US DOT sets the training timeline for hazmat vessel shippers, who must train on the IMDG Code’s requirements at least every three years.

When in Doubt, Do Not Ship It Out

Make sure your inner packagings will still be closed when they get to their final destination because, in addition to subjecting your company to substantial fines for non-compliance, if a package fails, a release of hazardous materials can harm people, property, and the environment—and hurt your company’s reputation.

Be confident your hazmat packages comply with the ground, air, and ocean shipping regulations. Get engaging, effective training that covers the latest 49 CFR, IATA, and IMDG regulations you must follow to prevent incidents in transit, costly delays, and civil penalties at Lion.com/Hazmat.