IATA brings on new dangerous goods provisions

JOY ORLEK
THE INTERNATIONAL Air Transport Association has introduced a new set of provisions for the handling of dangerous goods by air, a move that has caught much of the industry off-guard.
The scope of the new measures is wide-ranging, effectively widening the net in terms of responsibility and accountability.
For example it increases from 9-12 the number of categories of personnel who must be trained.
It also contains an entirely new subsection (DGR 1.6) and requires shippers, operators and others who transport dangerous goods to implement new procedures with regard to security and training.
“With aviation security increasingly becoming a focal point, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has already moved the administration of dangerous goods regulations from its ‘Flight Operations’ to the ‘Security Chamber’,” says aviation safety training specialist Rex Aylward.
The new regulations require that anyone involved in the transport of dangerous goods should be aware of the security requirements.
They also stipulate that all dangerous goods training should include elements of security awareness. “The training should address the nature of security risks, methods to address and reduce such risks, and actions to be taken in the event of a security breach,” says Aylward. “It should also include awareness of security plans in line with the responsibilities of individuals and their role in implementing those plans.”
Anyone involved in the transport of “high consequence” dangerous goods is required to adopt, implement and comply with a security plan that addresses a range of elements from the keeping of records of dangerous goods to be transported to the implementation of effective procedures for reporting and dealing with security risks, he added.
A summary of the new IATA ruling has been posted on our internet site: www.cargoinfo.co.za.