‘Question the shipper and look out for clues’

Stricter enforcement of dangerous goods legislation is on the cards, and entrusting your goods only to those with the expertise to ensure compliance is paramount. Industry specialists speak out. Seek further clarification where necessary SHIPPERS SHOULD give serious attention to their responsibility to provide transporters with correct information regarding hazardous cargo. “Some are inclined to ignore this, placing the transporter and its workers at risk,” says Robbie Lombard, manager: quality assurance and standards at SAA Cargo. Undeclared dangerous goods can have serious consequences for employees, aircraft, or passengers which means that anyone involved in the acceptance, handling and processing of air cargo must be alert to shipments that may contain undeclared or concealed dangerous goods, says Lombard. “In the air cargo system, the greatest protection against improperly shipped dangerous goods is to get a specific shipping description of the contents for each piece tendered. “Airline cargo acceptance staff, cargo agents and their pick-up and delivery contractors must therefore determine the nature of shipments accepted for transportation by asking shippers for specific descriptions. “When shipping descriptions are unclear, ask for more detailed information. When shipping descriptions are missing, refuse the package. Those are simple yet vital routes to follow.” Certain sounds may provide clues about the contents of a package, he says, and should always be taken into consideration. Also frost on the outside of a package or stains on packaging material can be indications of the presence of liquids. “Agents should always ask shippers to verify that all such shipments are free of dangerous goods. If a shipper states that a package contains no dangerous goods, yet the shipping description seems questionable, seek further clarification and if necessary ask the shipper to specify on the air waybill that the shipment is “not restricted’ or ‘not regulated’. Demand a signature from the shipper. Above all, if dangerous goods are present but not properly declared, refuse the shipment until properly packaged, identified, and documented.”