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The definition of the term \u201chazardous materials incident\u201d may be broader than you believe. Not all incidents are related to release of the dangerous good such as a chemical spill or a fire caused by a defective lithium battery. Even an error that creates a risk of an incident may be reported – such as the shipping of undeclared dangerous goods. The issue is prevalent enough that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has created a campaign promoting more careful examination of packages for potential hazmat\/dangerous goods. The name of the program gives the clearest instruction for preventing the problem at hand: <\/span>Check the Box!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n The need to follow Check the Box guidelines has never been greater, due to the coronavirus outbreak that has had a tremendous impact on the world and our supply chain. Everyone \u2013 right from hazmat employees who are working on the frontlines to compliance managers \u2013 needs to do their part so that hazardous materials are properly classified, identified, packaged, marked, labeled, and documented prior to shipping. <\/span><\/p>\n We mentioned earlier that not all hazardous materials incidents are\u00a0the same. Similarly, Check the Box reminds us that not all dangerous goods are as obviously\u00a0noticeable as, for example,\u00a0drums containing flammable liquids or\u00a0compressed gas cylinders such as industrial size fire extinguishers. \u00a0In fact, many household items either contain hazardous materials or may themselves be considered hazardous materials. <\/span>Lithium batteries<\/span><\/a>, aerosol sprays, and adhesives – all common items used in daily life – are listed in the US Department of Transportation\u2019s (DOT) <\/span>website for the campaign<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n As <\/span>the Check the Box FAQ page<\/span><\/a> states, the designation of \u201chazmat\u201d simply applies to anything that may \u201cpose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce.\u201d The truth is that you can find <\/span>many examples<\/span><\/a> of this in your own home. These include the medicine you keep for colds, the chemicals you use for cleaning around the house, and the batteries that power your electronics. Even painting materials, fire extinguishers, and nail polish removers fit\u00a0the definition of a hazardous material.<\/span><\/p>\n It is crucial for hazmat employees to make sure that all packages containing hazardous materials are correctly classified, identified, packaged, marked, labeled and documented when applicable. Anyone involved in the transportation of hazardous materials in commerce needs to know what exactly is contained in the packages they are handling and shipping before offering to carrier. Undeclared dangerous goods increase the risk of a hazmat incident.<\/span><\/p>\n Check the Box encourages shippers<\/span><\/a> to\u00a0review the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) of the items\u00a0that will be shipped.\u00a0The SDS\u00a0provides information that can\u00a0assist in the classification and identification steps in order to locate the articles\/substances\u00a0on the Hazardous Materials Table, which\u00a0provides further\u00a0instructions on how\u00a0these products must be packaged, marked, labeled and documented if required.\u00a0Communication\u00a0is critical, and this is accomplished by\u00a0providing the appropriate marks, labels and\u00a0shipping papers for the package(s)\u00a0that will be offered for transportation in commerce because they would then convey the hazardous nature of the package\u2019s contents. All this is vital to preventing\u00a0accidents that can require emergency response, and it all starts\u00a0with the simple precaution of checking the box.<\/span><\/p>\n The pandemic has caused a <\/span>shortage of lifesaving medications and essential medical devices<\/span><\/a> in many places. These items are being transported to different places in the United States, as well as to countries in other parts of the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Many of these items that are being shipped \u2013 disinfectants, raw materials for medications, components of medical equipment, and so on \u2013 may hazardous in nature. So, they need to be properly classified according to the risks they pose and the hazard class they come under, so that they can be packaged and transported safely.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If an item is incorrectly classified, improperly packaged, or mistakenly marked as a non-hazardous item, and if the supply chain compliance managers, hazmat employees and carriers fail to notice it, it can result in a hazmat incident. The <\/span>consequences of the incident<\/span><\/a> might be three-fold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At a time when the economy is slowing down, no company can afford to face the consequences \u2013 financial or otherwise \u2013 of a hazmat incident.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To avoid such incidents and the resulting consequences, hazmat employees who are in charge of storing, classifying, identifying, packing, marking, labeling, preparing dangerous goods documentation, and transporting hazardous items must complete\u00a0 dangerous goods training in order to comply with federal and international regulations. As an example of crucial hazmat \/ dangerous goods training is initial dangerous goods training for those employees who will be offering dangerous goods by air. <\/span>Online IATA training<\/span><\/a> programs at a time like now that social distancing is required and following Check the Box guidelines properly will make the necessary difference in avoiding on undeclared dangerous good shipment for air transport. Aside from completing initial training, hazmat employees must also be required to undergo recurrent training programs at least once every two years, so that they can stay updated on all the latest regulations.<\/span><\/p>\n As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we realize that our mission to keep people safe is more important than ever.\u00a0 Even as businesses transition to operating remotely, we understand that supply chain services must continue. Our team is here to support the shippers, carriers, freight-forwarders, and operators who must carry on during these trying times. Our reliable solutions will continue to support our customers requiring online IATA training or any other mode of transport they might be faced with.<\/span><\/p>\n Our self-paced online training and instructor-led webinars provide safe, travel-free options to complete your dangerous goods training from the comfort of your home.<\/span><\/p>\n Need help selecting the right online hazmat training course for your training needs? Our modal and multimodal courses combine lessons containing the latest regulatory information with interactive exercises and quizzes to facilitate compliance with regulatory training requirements. Call us at\u00a0<\/span>(844) 532-7634<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\/\u00a0<\/span>(609) 860-0300<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>contact us online<\/span><\/a>, and we\u2019ll be glad to help you!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nHazardous Materials in Day-to-Day Life and Online IATA Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Checking for Undeclared Dangerous Goods is Important<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Hazmat Shipping and Check the Box Protocol<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Online IATA Training Programs for Hazmat Employees<\/b><\/h2>\n
We\u2019re here to help with regulatory technical support Monday-Friday from 8:30 AM \u2013 5:00 PM EDT at no cost to you.<\/b><\/h2>\n
Summer Promotion Through July 31st, 2020<\/b><\/h2>\n
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