Shipping dangerous goods is a tricky process for anyone in the shipping, handling and transportation industries, especially when air travel is involved. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) maintains strict guidelines about who should handle dangerous goods, how they must be packaged and marked and the information needed for every party involved in the entire process.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What Are Shipper’s Declarations and Air Waybills?
- Completing a Declaration of Dangerous Goods
- Learn About Dangerous Goods Declarations and More at Hazmat School
What Are Shipper’s Declarations and Air Waybills?
Understanding the documents required for proper shipment is essential in maintaining compliance, efficiency and safety in the workplace and through the duration of transportation. Any time you ship dangerous goods, each package must be accompanied by two documents:
- Shipper’s dangerous goods declaration (DGD): The DGD form certifies that any packages containing hazardous materials have been done so in accordance with IATA guidelines for packing, labeling and declaring dangerous goods. For air travel, this certified package must be accompanied by an air waybill.
- Air waybill (AWB): An AWB is a legal document issued by the IATA. It constitutes a non-negotiable contract between shippers and air carriers that details the terms, conditions, charges and liabilities of the shipment. It also serves as a method of tracking packages during each stage of shipment.
Completing a Declaration of Dangerous Goods
While collecting information and filling out the documents can be a time-consuming process, it is rather straightforward. Both documents will direct you to put all information in the right place for ease of access between parties. The declaration of dangerous goods should contain the:
- Shipper’s name, address and contact information
- Recipient’s name, address and contact information
- AWB, the number of pages and the shipper’s reference number
- Aircraft restrictions (if any)
- Airport od departure and destination information
Most of the declaration is dedicated to describing the nature of the shipment. The Nature and Quantity of Dangerous Goods box on the form is broken down into four sections. On the page, you will need to confirm whether the goods are radioactive and supply the class or classes of hazardous materials they belong to, the type of packaging they are held within, their UN or ID number and special instructions when necessary.
Section one: Identification
The first section includes four pieces of information that identify the article or substance being shipped. The identification or basic description is standardized globally by the way it is formatted. This format provides emergency responders the immediate information they need to react appropriately in case of an emergency.
- UN or ID Number: Enter the UN or ID number for the material.
- Proper Shipping Name: Enter the proper shipping name. (with Technical Name when required)
- Class or Division: Enter the hazard class or division for the material.
- Subsidiary Risk: Enter the subsidiary risk, if applicable. This subsidiary risk must be enclosed in parentheses.
- Packing Group: Enter the Packing Group assigned, if applicable.
All of the information in this section must be in the correct order with no other unrelated information interspersed. For example, an entry may look like: UN1993, Flammable liquid, n.o.s. (Acetone solution) 3, III.
Section Two: Quantity and Type of Packing
A description of the package and an indication of the quantity of material being shipped (use net quantity unless the regulations require gross mass; metric measure is mandatory)
Section Three: Packing Instruction
Enter the applicable packing instruction.
When shipping dangerous goods by air, there are a variety of packing requirements. These are specified in Section 5 of the DGR.
Section Four: Authorizations
Certain entries can only be transported by air based on special provisions usually mandated by competent authorities. The DOT is the competent authority in the U.S. These special provisions include quantity limitations, packaging requirements, aircraft type and any other relevant information. The special provision number that includes a prefix of the letter A must be entered here.
Name of Signatory
The bottom section of the DGD requires a signature with your printed name and date. Signing off on IATA paperwork signifies that you have reviewed the documents and verified their accuracy and completeness according to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).
Learn About Dangerous Goods Declarations and More at Hazmat School
Filling out DGDs and AWBs demands knowledge and training, which you’ll find here at Hazmat School. Our IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) certification training will prepare you for all matters of dangerous goods handling, including how to prepare for shipment and file paperwork effectively.
This self-paced training program comes with around-the-clock access to our instructors and a network of resources to help you advance your career or gain IATA certification. Enroll today and extend your knowledge of DGDs and AWBs.
Manages Hazmat School’s E-Learning courses and blog. Kirstie has extensive experience in the online training and education industry. Kirstie has worked with courses that offer a variety of safety and environmental certifications that satisfy OSHA, EPA and DOT requirements.
