TRANSPORTATION OF DANGEROUS GOODS BY AIR LEARNING FROM THE MISFORTUNES OF OTHERS

OBJECTIVES To give a brief overview of the requirements for the transport of dangerous goods by air To identify deficiencies in the supply chain that could lead to serious accidents/incidents To demonstrate the challenges facing industry in ensuring compliance with the regulations

DEFINITION OF DANGEROUS GOODS Dangerous Goods are articles or substances which are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment, and which are shown in the list of Dangerous Goods in the Dangerous Goods Regulations or which are classified according to these Regulations.

ENABLING LEGISLATION FOR THE SAFE TRANSPORT BY AIR OF DANGEROUS GOODS Annex 18 to the Convention Aviation Act No. 74 of 1962 ICAO Technical Instructions ICAO Technical Instruction Supplement Civil Aviation Regulations of 1997; Part 92 SA-CATS-DG ICAO Emergency Response Guidance for aircraft incidents involving dangerous goods Part 141 Dangerous Goods Training IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations – used by industry (mostly IATA Members) – contains all the requirements in the ICAO Technical Standards In 1953 the member Airlines of IATA recognised the growing need of transportation by Air of Dangerous Goods ( articles and Substances having Harzadous properties) which if not properly controlled could adversely affect the safety of passengers, crew and or Aircraft on which they are carried. Eperience in other modes of transport had demosntrated that this articles can be transported provided that they are properly packed and the quantities in each package were properly limited. Using this experience together with the industry knowledge, IATA developed the first Regulations for Dangerous Gooods Transpotation by Air, and the first edition of the DGR manual was published in 1956 as the IATA Restricted Articles Regulations.

USE OF THE ICAO TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS and IATA DGR Manual Classify & identify proper shipping name Check if permitted on passenger/cargo aircraft or if forbidden If forbidden, check if subject to exemption Check quantity and packaging Prepare consignment – mark/label/document Sign Transport Document and offer for transport State Variation Requirements Operator Variations

LIMITATIONS OF DANGEROUS GOODS ON AIRCRAFT Forbidden for air transport under any circumstances - certain explosives - substances liable to produce dangerous evolution of heat Forbidden for transport unless exempted by various States Acceptable for transport on both Passenger and Cargo Aircraft Forbidden for transport on a Passenger Aircraft, but acceptable on Cargo Aircraft only

LEARNING FROM THE MISFORTUNES OF OTHERS PROBABLE CAUSE Valujet 592; Chemical Oxygen Generators Pan American B-707; Onboard nitric acid fire American Airlines DC-10; Chemical Oxygen Generators Fed-Ex DC-10; Flammable Liquids in Lab Machine Continental Airlines B-727; Safety Matches DC-8 Freighter in Dallas; Carbon Dioxide fumes American Airlines DC-9; Hydrogen Peroxide

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS Lack of training Negligence Reluctance to declare correct contents - Shippers Undeclared dangerous goods Mis-declared dangerous goods Lack of communication Incorrect packaging

UNDECLARED/HIDDEN DANGEROUS GOODS A MAJOR RISK TO THE SAFETY OF CIVIL AVIATION Risk to the safety of passengers & crew Risk of explosion Risk of smoke or fire Risk of incapacitation of crew – toxic inhalation Exposure to Ionizing Radiation Exposure to contaminated substances/liquids Risk to aircraft radiation contamination Incompatible dangerous goods - a ticking time bomb

UNDECLARED DANGEROUS GOODS

ORIGINAL CONSIGNMENT OF ACIDS

UNDECLARED SULPHURIC AND HYDROCHLORIC ACID

CORROSION CAUSED BY ACID TO PALLET BASE

UNDECLARED FLAMMABLE PAINT

UNDECLARED FLAMMABLE PAINT

UNDECLARED COMPRESSED GAS

UNDECLARED SPILLABLE BATTERY

UNDECLARED FLAMMABLES/AEROSOLS

How Could They Have Been Prevented Correct content declaration Correct classification Adequately trained personnel Educated clients Documented and packed as dangerous goods UN Specification packaging Concerted effort by all to ensure an overall level of safety (Don’t buck the system)

SUPPLY CHAIN (AS STRONG AS ITS WEAKEST LINK) Consolidator Road C A R G O T E M I N L Rail CARRIER Sea Freight Forwarder/ Agent Shipper/ Courier Org. PACKER

SUPPLY CHAIN - GENERAL CONSIDERATION Communication - Instructions from shipper clear Compliance with relevant regulations Supply chain commercially driven – No shortcuts Packing - 99% of undeclared dangerous goods not packed in accordance with the regulations Honesty/trust - Reluctance of Shippers to declare contents Safety/security consciousness – do not compromise safety Know what you are shipping Liability issues in Supply Chain Dangerous goods packing organisations can assist

SHIPPER’S RESPONSIBILITY GENERAL REQUIREMENTS Dangerous Goods not to be transported under any circumstances Identified/classified Packed – essential component/Valid Package Performance Test Certificate – expiry date of packaging UN Specified Packaging Marked Labelled Accompanied by a properly executed transport document (Shippers Declaration) Transport document to be signed by trained personnel

OPERATOR’S RESPONSIBILITY Acceptance Procedures Storage and loading Inspection Retention of records Training Provision of information, Including emergency response information

DANGEROUS GOODS TRAINING Requirement of regulations – ICAO/CARS and IATA DGR Job Specific Different categories of training Shippers personnel involved in the preparation of a dangerous goods shipment and contractors Air Operators personnel/aircrew/cabin crew/acceptance personnel/warehouse/drivers Ramp personnel/security screening personnel Freight Forwarders/processing dangerous goods Training by a CAA accredited organisation

ENFORCEMENT BY THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY (SACAA) CAR 185 & Section 19 of the Aviation Act of 1962 Criminal charges - on conviction; fine or imprisonment or to both fine & imprisonment First Time Offender – if not serious - warning Injury to persons or damage to property; SAPS will consider findings before moving for possible prosecution Safety/security is a co-operative venture for period not exceeding 10 years

ROLE OF SHIPPERS IN TRANSPORTING DANGEROUS GOODS BY AIR Transported in accordance with Regulations Overall level of safety maintained at all times Security of dangerous goods Personnel current in dangerous goods training Ongoing training Educate clients &personnel about dangerous goods If a chemical is forbidden for transportation by Air check with CAA if Exemption is applicable

TODAY’S CHALLENGES Multi-modal transport – stake holders acting in silos? Vision for the future – key role players Fragmented regulations Proper management Identification of critical issues International requirements Complexities in compliance Harmonisation – A distant dream?