How to Handle Dangerous Goods Safely and Profitably

There are certified experts that know the peculiarities of dangerous cargo handling at Acex Group. We have asked the coordinator of Acex agency network Evgeniya Vidulina and senior expert of airfreight department Vladimir Tsyntsar to teach a master class related to the topic.

There are 9 classes of dangerous cargo but it is possible to follow one general procedure when handling it.

Step 1.

Define a class.

It is necessary to understand what are the properties of the cargo that make it dangerous for the air freight or other cargo that is being shipped, the air carrier, its passengers or crew. Ammunition, gases or equipment that contains gases and various chemicals can be considered as dangerous goods.

Step 2.

Request MSDS.

If the cargo is a chemical substance or product it is required to request a MSDS from the freight owner or its representative (MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet). There is a certain GOST 30333-2007 in Russia that outlines the requirements to MSDS.

Evgeniya Vidulina Evgeniya Vidulina, Acex agency global network coordinator:

"It is the manufacturer that is responsible for the MSDS and accuracy of data that is included there. He is also obliged to provide the freight owner with the MSDS (GOST 30333-2007, provisions 3.3 and 3.4).

Forwarders use this document when they define the UN code of the cargo (a 4 digital code of the substance outlined by the United Nations).

IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations manual outlines the possibilities of transportation of each UN code for cargo and passenger flights,” Evgeniya Vidulina says. The manual also includes the maximum allowed weight per position, the required type of package and conditions that have to be complied with”.

Step 3.

Select package type.

If it is required to provide a certain type of packaging certified by UN it is necessary to address the specialist company. Sometimes airport safety services ask a copy of the packaging company certificates during the inspection to check if the company is authorized to provide such packaging.

UN certified packaging is to be inspected by pressure test, leak test and pressure drop. The packaging that is inspected and approved is marked by a “UN” round sticker.

Step 4.

Prepare a declaration.

Majority of the dangerous cargo require certain declarations. Such declarations are prepared by the IATA certified experts. When they sign the declarations they confirm that the dangerous cargo is classified and packaged correctly thus ready for transportation and its transportation will be safe for other cargo at the same flight, air carrier, its passengers and crew. You may ask them for consultation.

Advice from Acex expert: Sometimes cargo that has dangerous properties doesn’t fall under the classification of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations manual because there are other certain conditions that are related to them. Moreover there are lists of special conditions for some airlines and countries. It has also be noted.

Vladimir Tsyntsar, senior expert of airfreight department at Acex.

That is what Vladimir Tsyntsar, senior expert of airfreight department at Acex did during the transportation preparation of the dental material from Russia to Algeria.

“My aim was to cut the customers’ expenses related to the dangerous cargo handling, Vladimir Tsyntsar says, I have thoroughly studied the MSDS of the cargo and could prove that 10 out of 27 items don’t fall under dangerous goods classification, and other 17 items could be defined as dangerous goods in the excepted quantity. Our colleagues from the security inspection of the Domodedovo airport had to agree with me. Logistics is the same as legislation, if you know the rules better you will win the case. As a result we could significantly cut the expenses of the customer for marking and avoid the unnecessary declarations for dangerous goods and storage,” - Vladimir says.

Easier said than done. That is way the experience related to the handling of dangerous goods of airfreight experts is the key factor that directly influences the expenses related to transportation.