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…
Ultimate hazmat security: C-TPAT Compliant Seals
Seals Series, Volume 4 — A massive freighter docks overnight at a U.S. port. Its containers hold the kind of hazardous material that, in the wrong hands, could put countless American lives at risk. The next morning, the containers are offloaded to trucks and trains that take them to every corner of the country. A…
How a security seal control program protects your hazardous materials
Seals Series, Volume 3 — Seals are a great, underappreciated hazmat security tool. In our last couple of posts, we’ve talked about situations where seals are essential in Dangerous Goods security, and where seals are a better choice than locks. But seals by themselves can only do so much. To fully exploit their potential, you…
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…
USDOT/PHMSA formalizes requirements for “Reverse Logistics”
In today’s edition of the US Federal Register, the United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a final rule under Docket # PHMSA-2011-0143 (HM-253), RIN 2137-AE82 under which the agency sets forth specific rules to regulate the transport of materials under the so-called “Reverse Logistics” principle. This function…
Dangerous Goods security: 5 reasons to choose a seal over a lock
Seals Series, Volume 2 — Since our high school locker days, most of us are conditioned to think that the best way to keep things secure is with a lock. In the Dangerous Goods world, though, locks aren’t always the best choice. When is a seal better than a lock? You might be surprised: …
11 places security seals are essential in Dangerous Goods
Seals Series, Volume 1 — If you’re in the Dangerous Goods business, you probably use security seals somewhere. Maybe lots of somewheres. But you might not realize how many ways and places DG professionals put seals to work. A closure device that can be opened only once can protect more than you might think. Locks…
DG Digest: More Lithium Battery News, PHMSA Special Permits and FRA Fines Hit Record Heights
Several items of note occurred in the DG world last week, with new and revised regulations affecting everything from Limited Quantities to Lithium Batteries and a vital Federal Agency noting that its enforcement penalties were way up: ICAO/IATA Lithium Battery Rules Changes Both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association…
10 must-have items for hazmat shipping when it’s freaking cold
If you’re transporting Dangerous Goods anywhere north of Arizona this time of year, it seems like every conversation starts like this: “Cold out.” “Yeah. Supposed to get colder.” “Really? $*%#@!” But Dangerous Goods shipments don’t care if your eyelashes freeze together or your fingertips go numb. You have to keep your shipments safe and on-time—but…
Guest Blog: Workplace and transport labeling: Communication cures the confusion
Guest blogger Chandra Deeds Gioiello helps clients across the globe navigate regulations with Industrial Health & Safety Consultants, Inc. She is a registered Safety Data Sheet and Label Author and a Certified Industrial Hygienist, specializing in international hazard communication regulations. I have written Safety Data Sheets for employers throughout the world. I’ve classified mixtures according…