Plans to ban laptops and tablets from the cabins of flights from Europe were put on hold when the European Union decided against implementation on May 17. But the ban remains in place for flights from eight Middle Eastern countries, and we persist in our opinion opposing it. By Neil McCulloch The proposed ban on…
The Hazmat Mothers’ Day Gift Guide—10 last-minute ideas
Nearly all hazmat professionals have mothers, are married to mothers or are themselves mothers. Yet to our knowledge, no one has ever has ever addressed the formative role our mothers may have played in our Dangerous Goods development, nor the critical question on everyone’s minds this week: What do I get Mom for Mothers’ Day?…
13 things you may not know about lithium, batteries, and lithium batteries
With lithium batteries once again the hot subject at recent meetings of the IATA Dangerous Goods Board and the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel, you might be tempted to ask, What can they possibly say about lithium batteries that we don’t already know? Well, here are a few things … Lithium is the third smallest element…
Why isn’t anyone talking about blockchain in hazmat shipping?
Imagine you’re a distributor for a line of electronic devices powered by lithium batteries. You don’t make the devices, and you don’t source the batteries, but if one of those devices catches fire on its way to a retailer, you’re the one whose bottom line will suffer. Wouldn’t you like to be 100% sure that…
Lithium batteries (what else?) dominate talks at IATA Dangerous Goods Board
As a bridge between the developers and the users of Dangerous Goods regulations, Labelmaster strives to understand the needs of both the regulated industries and the regulators. This way, we can provide the optimum solutions for our customers. And, since we closely follow the discussions and decisions of both industry and regulators, it will come as…
Why large battery shippers need a compliance assessment
Anyone who ships lithium batteries or battery-powered products knows that compliant battery shipping is a constant challenge. But shippers who undertake the effort to improve their compliance often discover improvements in other areas as well. As a Labelmaster consultant, I recently helped a global robotics company enhance its Dangerous Goods compliance procedures—and, in the process,…
Infographic | Integrating confidence with Dangerous Goods shipping software
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, along with shipping software and warehouse management systems (WMS), have helped streamline the supply chain for a wide range of companies in nearly every industry. But for those who ship Dangerous Goods, it may not be enough. Labelmaster’s 2016 survey of Dangerous Goods shippers revealed some uncomfortable doubts about companies’…
The Hazmat Quizmaster — Will your teenager become a Dangerous Goods professional?
If you’re like many Dangerous Goods pros, your career direction happened almost by accident. Maybe you never set out to be a hazmat trainer or a shipping manager, but it’s worked out pretty well. Will your kids choose the same path? When your kids grow up, they’ll find all the regulatory resources they need at…
Logistics innovations: big players launch big initiatives
In early March, we ran a post on exciting developments from logistics startups, from electric trucks to driver feedback software. But innovation is hardly limited to new companies. Some of the biggest innovations actually come from the biggest players in the business. Here’s a look at how some of the giants of the logistics industry…
How online hazmat training can lower your blood pressure
When you manage a shipping operation that handles Dangerous Goods, stress is part of the job description. And keeping hazmat employees compliantly trained can be a major source of that elevated blood pressure. If you’re responsible for hazmat training, you have to: Determine who qualifies as a hazmat employee as defined by 49 CFR (§171.8) Determine…