The Safe Handling of Dangerous Goods in Aviation

1. Introduction

Dangerous Goods (DG) are articles or substances which are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment when transported by air.

Due to the high speed, vibration, pressure and temperature changes in flight, items that are safe on ground can become extremely dangerous in the air. For this reason, handling of dangerous goods is strictly regulated by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Annex 18 and the IATA (International Air Transport Association) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).

 

     2. Classification of Dangerous Goods

The IATA DGR classifies dangerous goods into 9 classes;

  Class 1; Explosives

  Class 2; Gasses

  Class 3; Flammable liquids

  Class 4; Flammable solids

  Class 5; Oxidizers

  Class 6; Toxic and infectious substances

  Class 7; Radioactive materials

  Class 8; Corrosives, and

  Class 9; Miscellaneous including magnetized materials and aviation regulated substances.

  Each class has specific packing and handling requirements.

 

     3. Principles of Safe Handling

Safe handling is based on three principles;

     a) Classification and identification;

The shipper must correctly identify, classify and declare the goods using a Shippers’ Declaration for Dangerous Goods.

    b) Packing and marking;

Goods must be packed in UN specification packaging designed to withstand air transport conditions. Packages must be correctly marked and labelled with hazard labels and handling labels such as Cargo Aircraft Only (CAO).

   c) Acceptance and storage;

At the airline, trained acceptance staff must check the declaration, packaging and limits. Some DG are forbidden on passenger aircraft and only allowed on cargo aircraft (CAO). During storage and loading, DG must be separated according to the segregation table, kept away from heat sources and secured to prevent damage. Damaged packages must be rejected.

 4. Importance of Training

Only trained and certified personnel under IATA DGR category can accept, handle and load dangerous goods. Undeclared or mis-declared DG is one of the leading causes of air incidents, including in-flight fires. Proper load control must also ensure DG is not loaded in a way that exceeds floor limitations or blocks emergency access.

 5. Conclusion

The handling of dangerous goods is not about refusing them, but about transporting them safely. When the ICAO and IATA regulations are followed, correct classification, proper packing, accurate documentation and trained handling, Dangerous Goods can be carried by air without risk to the aircraft, crew and passengers.

References; Dangerous Goods Regulations, 67th Edition, ICAO Annex 18-The safe Transport of  Dangerous Goods by Air.

Rogers Solomon

Minister of Academics and Welfare,

DAS Aviation School.