Today is the day when people all over the world celebrate love. This celebration is often manifested by the sending of cherished missives and objects from lover to lover. While the standard Valentine’s card or box of chocolates requires no special measures, it’s important to realize that many romantic notions have Dangerous Goods implications. We…
Total value of compliance, Part 3: Creating new revenue from DG compliance
Managing a Dangerous Goods shipping operation is a lot like running a farm. It may seem like all you do is spend money, while the potential profits are hard to imagine—and a long way off. But if a farmer makes every decision with that long term in mind, the operation is much more likely to…
Total value of compliance, Part 2: What do compliance gaps actually cost you?
Every hazmat pro knows a Dangerous Goods shipment that doesn’t comply with current regulations could end up costing their company money. In fact, 28% of hazmat pros surveyed in our 2018 Global Dangerous Goods Confidence Outlook said their companies comply with regulations only because the regulations mandate it. In other words, all they want to…
Total value of compliance, Part 1: Assessing your hazmat processes and procurement
Trick question: Do you spend too much on Dangerous Goods compliance? Most hazmat professionals would probably answer “yes.” Whenever we have to spend money on something that doesn’t show an immediate benefit, it always feels like we’re spending too much. And there’s no getting around it—Dangerous Goods compliance requires a financial outlay. But the real…
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…
How a free Total Value of Compliance Assessment can make your hazmat operation more profitable
Late last year, we introduced a new concept to the Dangerous Goods galaxy: total value of compliance. It’s a new way of thinking about supply chain operations that views hazmat compliance as not just a cost of doing business, but also as a value-added component that contributes to profitability. Maybe you read that post, and…
Hazmat hopes 2019: Top Dangerous Goods professionals share their wishes
Work in Dangerous Goods long enough, and you may find yourself wishing things were different. Couldn’t that new IATA regulation be worded more clearly? Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to explain Limited Quantities to your customer—for the third time? And how exactly does a 2mm-thick label border make a hazmat shipment safer?…
11 must-have items for hazmat shipping when your eyelashes freeze
Happy New Year! For those of us in northern climes, we’re well past the isn’t-winter-wonderful? phase and well into the enough-already-with-the-freezing-rain phase. Yet Dangerous Goods shipments don’t care if your eyelashes freeze together or your fingertips go numb. Your customers and supply chain partners still expect your shipments to be safe, compliant and on time,…
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…
2018: The year in Dangerous Goods regulations
2018 was a relatively quiet year in the Dangerous Goods galaxy, with few major new regulatory changes and no unexpected surprises from domestic or international regulatory bodies. Still, as Labelmaster’s Manager of Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Responsibility, I hear all the questions from our customers and partners about how best to comply with regulations. This…