July 4th is the day we celebrate being American, and what’s more American than getting what you want, when you want it? E-commerce delivers on that dream for millions of Americans every day, and that can be a beautiful thing. It can also be a dangerous thing, because many e-commerce shippers still don’t realize when…
DG Symposium preview: IATA’s Nicolas Carlone on automation and virtual reality
Nicolas Carlone, Assistant Director of DGR and Cargo Publications at IATA, will speak on Dangerous Goods acceptance automation—and give a live demo of IATA’s new virtual reality training tool—at the 14th annual Dangerous Goods Symposium, September 4–6, 2019, in Chicago. During last year’s Dangerous Goods Symposium, we wrote, “Sometime in the not-too-distant future, someone will…
Why your in-house legal department should understand hazmat shipping
Used to be, when Dangerous Goods pros heard from a lawyer, it could only mean one thing: bad news. Something went seriously wrong with a hazmat shipment. That mindset is changing. Will Troutman and Jim Shimko are trying to change it even faster. Troutman is a Partner with the Los Angeles office of the law…
Shipping lithium batteries by mail: 3 things you must know
If you’re in the hazmat business, you’re no stranger to Publication 52 from the United States Postal Service. Affectionately referred to as “Pub 52,” this public document (a.k.a. “Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail“) outlines the do’s and don’ts for the safe transport of Dangerous Goods via the U.S. mail. One of the thorniest topics in…
Client ID Database has DG Stakeholders North of the Border Facing a New Registration Requirement
Formal consultation (the equivalent in Canada to the familiar US “Comment period” for proposed rulemakings) has ended in Canada on a new proposal which, according to Transport Canada, will require stakeholders who will: import, offer for transport, handle or transports dangerous goods in Canada To register with Transport Canada under the identification database requirement. The…
DOT PHMSA Lithium Battery Interim Final Rule (IFR) Effective Immediately
The long-awaited DOT PHMSA Interim Final Rule (IFR) enhancing the safety provisions for lithium batteries transported by aircraft appeared in the Federal Register this week on March 6th. This IFR generally harmonizes the 49 CFR with the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (regulations effective in the ICAO TI…
Hazmat pros—with HM-215O coming, how do you spell “harmonization?”
Last week we shared transatlantic viewpoints on confidence in Dangerous Goods compliance. This week, our experts talk about harmonization between Europe and North America. The supply chain is more global than it’s ever been. Yet Dangerous Goods regulations still vary from country to country. The differences in hazmat regulations between Europe and North America are—thankfully—nowhere…
Why are American hazmat pros less confident? Two experts weigh in.
Remember, back when you were in school, the feeling of walking out of a final exam knowing you absolutely nailed it? That’s how we want Dangerous Goods pros to feel about their operations every day—like they got every last detail right, and that all their outcomes will be positive. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality. Year…
DOT Departments Limit Services During Continued Government Shutdown
Have you been curious how the partial Government shutdown has affected the Department of Transportation (DOT) offices? DOT recently issued a plan document outlining how each office is operating during the current funding freeze. It includes a summary of personnel affected (working vs. furloughed), as well as summaries of continuing operations and suspended activities. Hazardous…
From hazmat hopes to new paradigms: Our top 12 posts of 2018
If you only have time to read one blog about the Dangerous Goods supply chain, we’re glad you make it ours. And if you don’t even get the time to read our blog every week, here are our top 12 posts from the last year, in chronological order: Hazmat hopes: A 2018 wish list from…