Today is the first day of Spring! I hope the day finds you someplace that is getting warmer and brighter as the year progresses. Progress on the regulatory front remains slow, as the “freeze” continues to make its presence felt through a still-glacial pace of new regulatory releases. On the HM-215N front, the song remains…
Don’t sing the Dangerous Goods Symposium blues—sign up now!
Register today! Rates go up March 1. Labelmaster will host the 12th annual Dangerous Goods Symposium September 6-8, 2017 at Chicago’s historic Drake Hotel. The Drake has hosted presidents, foreign dignitaries and even royalty, but it may be most famous for its role as a set in The Blues Brothers, that 1980 classic featuring so…
DG Digest: FDA Actions on Lithium Batteries, EPA on Subsurface Intrusion, and Brazil to Adopt UMR
Greetings, everyone. The first complete new week of the New Year was categorized by relatively limited regulatory action, perhaps as everyone got back from the holiday and prepared to launch into the swing of things. Nevertheless, here are the items of note: FDA Lithium batteries continue their long reach into the affairs of the regulatory…
Flying over the holidays? Don’t be human hazmat!
When you think about it, it’s amazing that we think nothing about flying thousands of miles to visit friends and family over the holidays. Flying is relatively inexpensive if you plan in advance, and—despite the airport crowds and potential weather delays—rarely qualifies as any kind of adventure. Beyond that, flying is also tremendously safe. In fact,…
A Letter from Bangkok on the 109th Meeting of the IATA Dangerous Goods Board
A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. – John A. Shedd (Salt from My Attic, 1928) A not so old adage that captures the balance between safety and action. A 21st century version might be “An airplane is safe in its hangar, but that’s not what…
8 ways to prevent reverse logistics headaches this holiday season
If you’re a Dangerous Goods specialist at a retailer that ships electronics, you’re probably more nervous this holiday season than a 3rd-string quarterback on 4th-and-20. And it’s all due to four words: Lithium batteries. Reverse logistics. We really don’t need to say any more about the headaches lithium batteries have caused shippers over the last…
Infographic | New IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations for 2017
Year after year, no transport mode sees more Dangerous Goods regulatory changes than air transport. That’s why it’s essential to have a complete grasp of each year’s changes as soon as possible—and why now is the time to order your copy of the 58th Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Here’s a preview of…
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…
DG Digest: PHMSA Seeks Comments on Radioactive Material, EPA Focusing on Reverse Logistics, and IATA Releases Changes to the 58th Edition of the DGR
With Mid-September already here, the fall football season is not the only kick-off freshly in the news; regulatory matters also continue in play, with the associated agencies busy with their respective agendas. Let’s take a look at what’s new: PHMSA In harmonization news, PHMSA seeks public comment on a draft revision of the International Atomic…
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…