The answers may reassure you. Since August, we’ve been asking hazmat heroes like you all about their jobs, their lives, their concerns and their opinions. Many of you took our online poll, and many more answered these questions at the 2016 Dangerous Goods Symposium, September 7–9 in Chicago. As usual, your answers were unpredictable—and…
Infographic | Unpacking the Mysteries of DG Packaging
Why is hazmat packaging so complex? And how do you get it right? Read on to learn what regulations govern Dangerous Goods packaging and how to interpret them. A packaging partner with deep expertise can help you think “inside the box,” and keep your shipments safe and compliant. What seems like a simple objective—ensuring the…
18 fun facts you didn’t know about trucks, truckers and trucking
In honor of National Truck Drivers Appreciation Week, here are a few fun facts you probably never knew about the people and machines who keep our economy moving: Trucks carry 73% of cargo (by weight) in the US. Of the 4 million shipments of Dangerous Goods every day, 94% are carried by trucks. Alexander Winton…
Lithium battery discussion heats up Dangerous Goods Symposium Day 3
Sorry for the terrible choice of words. But when you’ve convened the world’s foremost experts in lithium battery shipping the same week the world’s largest smartphone maker recalls millions of units due to battery issues, it’s all we can do to not call the session “explosive.” Okay, we’re done now. Friday morning’s lithium battery panel…
DG Symposium Day 2—live observations from LabelmasterFest!
This post comes to you fresh from the terrace of the stunning Loews Chicago Hotel. It’s LabelmasterFest, where more than 200 of the world’s foremost Dangerous Goods practitioners are enjoying a gorgeous evening with dinner, drinks and interactive, DG-related games. Way back this morning, Labelmaster VP of Marketing Rob Finn kicked the day off with fun facts…
DG Symposium Day 1 leaves ’em wanting s’more
The world’s foremost Dangerous Goods professionals met today in Chicago to discuss the serious business of hazmat transport, and by 1:00 in the afternoon the place had the atmosphere of a campfire. Well, okay, there was no actual campfire. (What would OSHA say?) But there were s’mores on the tables—and, more important, there was storytelling. Because…
Shipping damaged lithium batteries? Say hello to Special Permit Packaging!
Of all the headaches associated with shipping lithium batteries, the most acute of them might be return shipments of damaged or defective cells/batteries, or the equipment containing them. If that headache sounds familiar, we now have your ibuprofen. Based on a special permit from the U.S. Department of Transportation that grants relief from 49 CFR…
Hazmat tax? California’s new levy on local rail carriers draws ire (and lawsuits)
Ever since the Lac Megantic derailment disaster in 2013, North American rail carriers have been engaged in a running administrative battle with assorted local municipalities that have tried, so far without success, to impose local taxes or fees on the carriage of dangerous goods over the railroads that pass through their communities. This is an…
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Lithium battery enforcement: A level playing field will boost safety immediately
Neil McCulloch contributed to this article. Monday’s press release from IATA, highlighting the problems and implications of non-enforcement of existing lithium battery shipping regulations, is both salutary and discouraging. Salutary, because we’ve long been on record as saying that comprehensive enforcement of existing regulations would have a larger impact on safety than enacting new regulations. Many other…