Have you heard of dangerous goods regulations (DGR)?
They’re the key to keeping everyone safe during air travel and other forms of public transport.
In this interesting article, we’ll explain what they are and why they matter.
Complying With Dangerous Goods Regulations
Whenever you go on vacation you probably find passing through the security gates at the airport takes a while and is a very rigorous process. There’s a very good reason for that.
That reason is that airlines must comply very strictly with dangerous goods regulations. They ensure that everything stowed on board is safe and doesn’t pose a danger to the aircraft, staff, or passengers.
Products that might seem harmless at home can pose a very serious health risk when they’re on an airplane. From lithium batteries and dry ice to aerosol whipped cream, there is a long list of goods that are banned from air travel. Static electricity, vibrations, and pressure changes can cause items to leak, create toxic fumes, combust or explode.
Anything classified as dangerous goods or hazardous materials needs to be left on the ground. That can even include expensive items such as the batteries in battery-powered skateboards or drones, so you need to be careful not to take things like that to the airport or to have carefully planned hold storage agreed with the airline in advance.
The United States Department of Transportation has a system of classifying dangerous goods based on the products’ chemical and physical status. We’ll talk about those categories later in this article.
The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA)
The Secretary of the Department of Transportation is responsible for regulating the transportation of hazardous materials. The Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMTA) has some standards that airlines must follow, codified in 49 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.
For professionals in the industry, a deep understanding of IATA dangerous goods regulations is essential. So, most aviation professionals and airport security personnel undergo IATA dangerous goods regulations course like this IATA Certification Online.
Sometimes items that are not regulated as dangerous goods are also prohibited from being taken onto airplanes because of specific country restrictions. For example, plants, seeds, and animals can pose environmental risks and also be restricted.
More details on dangerous goods shipping regulations can usually be provided by airlines and embassies for the countries you want to visit.
Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR)
Opting for a dangerous goods regulations course provided by The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is much better than some of the cheaper alternatives that are not as widely recognized. Chapter I of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations describes the strict requirements for air operators, aircraft, airmen, airspace, and many other components of the aviation system.
Dangerous Goods Hazard Classes
Dangerous goods are categorized into different classes by the United States Department of Transportation. They are:
- Class 1, Explosives
- Class 2, Gases
- Class 3, Flammable Liquids
- Class 4, Flammable Solid, Spontaneously Combustible, and Dangerous When Wet
- Class 5, Oxidizer, Organic Peroxide
- Class 6, Poison (Toxic), Poison Inhalation Hazard, Infectious Substance
- Class 7, Radioactive Material
- Class 8, Corrosives
- Class 9, Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials and Lithium Batteries
We Hope You Learned Something Useful
We hope you enjoyed our short guide to dangerous goods regulations and learned something useful.
Keep reading our blogs about a range of interesting topics.
