Shipping hazardous materials by air is a crucial aspect of many industries. Following strict regulations is essential to ensure the safety of everyone from your team members, shipping professionals, and material recipients, and to protect the environment.
Because following the established rules is so critical, professional hazmat training will cover what qualifies as dangerous goods and how to safely and legally ship them by air.
Private training for your company ensures safety and compliance
CARGOPak Corp provides thorough, customized in-person and virtual training for shipping dangerous goods. This blog post will briefly overview some of the regulations and the importance of regulatory compliance.
Who are the regulatory bodies for shipping hazmat by air?
Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) publish guidelines describing the regulations for shipping dangerous goods by air, with the goal of preventing accidents and protecting human health and the environment. However, only the ICAO regulations are official, while the IATA are merely guidelines and are often less restrictive.
Are there different regulations for international shipping versus national?
In addition to international requirements, each country has unique national regulations for the air transport of hazmat.
These regulations complement the ICAO's Technical Instructions with additional requirements for the shipment of dangerous goods within the country's jurisdiction. Even if a company follows the ICAO for shipping their materials or products, they may still need to meet compliance in the destination country or else face penalties.
When you work with a consultant who provides customized training, you benefit from first-hand expertise when developing the processes and packaging for dangerous materials.
Companies can get peace of mind that they’re keeping everyone involved in the shipping logistics safe and meeting regulations at every step of the shipment.
What’s considered a dangerous material for international shipping?
The first step to shipping compliance, internationally and nationally, is correctly classifying dangerous goods and ensuring they are properly labeled and packaged.
The classification process involves determining the physical and health hazards associated with the material and the appropriate precautions that must be taken during transportation.
Trained and authorized individuals are responsible for classifying and documenting dangerous goods. A hazmat consultant such as CARGOPak Corp works one-on-one with organizations to correctly identify materials that may need documentatio and establish safe procedures that follow regulatory guidelines.
What’s the risk of not following hazmat shipping regulations?
Following the requirements outlined by the IACO ensures that companies keep their employees, shipping companies, and the environment safe. Compliance with the regulations is not only the right thing to do. It’s mandatory.
Non-compliance can result in significant fines and legal penalties.
Before ever shipping a questionable material, shippers must take the necessary steps to meet compliance for their dangerous goods, including:
- Proper labeling
- Correct packaging
- Accurate documentation
- Safe handling
Regular training and updates on regulations are also crucial to avoid potential compliance issues. Unfortunately, you can’t simply check hazmat training off and be done with it forever. Annual refresher courses for dangerous goods shipping training will ensure you’re always up to date on the correct procedures.
Fill out the CARGOPak Corp needs assessment form to schedule custom dangerous goods shipping training courses.
Hazmat shipping is complicated, with dynamic regulations, strict requirements, and harsh penalties for errors. Rather than take a risk with your logistics, work with an expert consultant who provides customized virtual and in-person training.
Get total confidence that you’re keeping your team safe and meeting national and international shipping requirements by air by working with the team at CARGOPak Corp for dangerous goods shipping training.
