A Midwestern Dangerous Goods professional has developed a psychosomatic reaction to the words lithium batteries, apparently resulting from overexposure to news articles, blog posts and customer inquiries about the subject. Ted—who requested his last name and company not be revealed—experiences facial skin outbreaks, headaches and nausea when he hears or reads the words lithium battery…
New video explores Dangerous Goods compliance at 30,000 feet
Mike Wentz is Manager of Cargo Compliance for American Airlines, but when he talks about his job he could be speaking for any professional in dangerous good aviation in any capacity: “I knew I’d never be comfortable in the role unless I could understand the regulations back to front and be able to communicate them…
Last name in the alphabet; first name in Dangerous Goods regulations
Jeanne Zmich, Labelmaster Vice President of Research & Development—who is retiring on June 16th— has helped define and grow the Dangerous Goods industry that we work in every day. During her four decades overseeing regulations at Labelmaster, Jeanne has achieved a number of industry milestones: She co-authored a two-volume set on compliance with the original…
7 clues that Game of Thrones is really about hazmat shipping
Every Sunday night, millions of people worldwide gather to watch a show about kings, queens, dragons and Class 3 hazmat. Yes, it’s Game of Thrones, and it’s the greatest show about Dangerous Goods ever created. What’s that? You don’t think Game of Thrones is about hazmat shipping? Here are seven uncanny similarities that will prove…
That seals it! The 7 most famous, nonhazmat-related seals
Seals Series, Volume 6 — Over the last few weeks, we’ve taken a close look at the role of security seals in the Dangerous Goods business. From explaining why seals trump locks in hazmat security, to how seals protect less-than-load shipments, we’ve explained just about everything you need to know about seals. Everything serious, that is.…
“I shipped lithium batteries for that?” The 10 dumbest battery devices
Shipping lithium batteries is challenging, with new air shipping regulations making air transport for many batteries all but impossible. But at least you know those batteries power the devices that make our world more amazing by the day, right? Well, not always. For every life-altering phone, tablet or fitness tracker, there’s a device so pointless…
16 reasons to sign up for the 2016 Dangerous Goods Symposium now
The 2016 Dangerous Goods Symposium—a.k.a. DGS XI—is slated for September 7–9, at the Loews Chicago Hotel. As always, the Symposium will feature workshops and presentations from some of the sharpest trainers and practitioners in the Dangerous Goods galaxy, along with unparalleled networking and plenty of downtime pleasantries. DGS XI will only be free for…
Dangerous Goods Report | Vol. 5
Lithium Battery Shipping—Retail Rolls with the Changes. Cover Story: Challenging skies for lithium battery shippers. As lithium battery shipping regulations get even more complex and restrictive, retailers must adopt new processes and tactics. A look inside UN-certified packaging. Do you need it? Is it worth it? And what do all those letters and numbers mean?…
8 technologies that could make lithium batteries safer (or obsolete)
If you ship lithium batteries, or anything with batteries in it, your job seems to get more challenging every week. New battery-shipping rules have made some air transport all but impossible, and the regulatory landscape—er, airscape—is primed for more restrictions. Do you sometimes wish lithium batteries would just go away? Dream on! Battery power is…
10 strangest hazmat items in the 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook
Everyone in the Dangerous Goods business has at least one copy of the Emergency Response Guidebook nearby at all times, right? (If not, stop reading and click here right now!) But how many of us actually sit down and read it? Well, we did, and we discovered some hazmat items in the essential ERG that…