Dangerous goods are articles or substances which are capable of posing a hazard to health, safety, property or the environment and which are shown in the list of dangerous goods in the Technical Instructions or which are classified according to those Instructions. ICAO Technical Instructions (ICAO TI) for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, ICAO Supplement to the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR).
Dangerous Goods are also known as restricted articles, hazardous materials and dangerous cargo.
For the purposes of air transportation, common household items,
including consumer goods and industrial supplies (for example lithium
batteries, aerosol cans, compressed gas cylinders and flammable liquids such as
solvent-based paint) are classified as dangerous goods. When such items, are transported by air,
without being correctly prepared/packaged, processed/handled, declared and accepted,
they can become hazardous. For safety
reasons, it is therefore important to observe the regulations and requirements
on the carriage of dangerous goods by air.
Some common examples of dangerous goods can be found here.
The local Civil Aviation Authority Regulations (CASA PNG) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) governs the carriage of dangerous goods onboard an aircraft.
To ensure the safe transport of dangerous goods by air, air
operators, shippers, and freight forwarders must comply with the following
regulations and requirements in place:
Dangerous goods are classified according to the ICAO Doc 9284 Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The document containing the full list of dangerous goods may be obtained, here
Responsibilities of Air Operators
An air operator
is defined as any person, organization or enterprise that agrees to engage in
domestic or international commercial air transport, whether directly or
indirectly or by a lease or any other arrangement; and which offers the service
of transporting goods or people by aircraft.
Your Responsibilities as an Air Operator
·
The
air operator is responsible for:
·
Acceptance
of Dangerous Goods
·
Storage
of Dangerous Goods, prior to loading and after unloading from the aircraft
·
Loading
of Dangerous Goods including segregation, stowage and securing of Dangerous
Goods on board the aircraft
·
Inspecting
Dangerous Goods packages to ensure that they comply with the technical
instructions, prior to loading onto and after unloading from the aircraft
·
Providing
passengers and crew with Dangerous Goods information (including emergency
response information to train the crew to handle Dangerous Goods incidents and
accidents)
·
Reporting
Dangerous Goods incidents and accidents to the CASA and the State of Occurrence
·
Retention
of Dangerous Goods documentation records
·
Training
of employees
No Dangerous
Goods may be carried on board a civil aircraft unless the air operator obtains
a permit from the CASA PNG.
For permit requirements on Dangerous Goods, please click on the link below.
Dangerous Goods Permit
Responsibilities of Shippers and Freight Forwarders
Your Responsibilities as a Shipper or Freight Forwarder
Dangerous goods, if not declared, packed or handled properly, may leak
hazardous contents, give off flammable or toxic fumes, ignite a fire, or even
explode due to vibrations or changes to air pressure and temperature, when
transported by air.
However, with proper declarations on transport documents, packaging and
handling of dangerous goods in accordance with regulations, and by providing
the necessary training and information to employees and service providers,
dangerous goods can be safely transported by air on both passenger and cargo
aircraft.
To ensure the safety of aircraft, passengers and crew, if you are a shipper or
freight forwarder, please ensure that:
i) The articles or substances are not forbidden for carriage by air under any
circumstances;
ii) Dangerous goods are properly classified, identified, packed, marked,
labelled and accompanied by a Dangerous Goods Transport Document (also
known as the Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods), in compliance
with the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Air;
Classifying dangerous goods -
Dangerous goods are classified into 9 different classes based on their
hazardous properties and characteristics. Some classes are further subdivided
into hazard divisions. Find out more here.
Identifying dangerous goods -
Identifying dangerous goods is essential for their correct handling and safe
transport of dangerous goods. Shippers and freight forwarders can identify
dangerous goods through one or more of the following techniques:
Dangerous Goods Marks and Labels
Hazard labels corresponding to the hazard class and division of dangerous goods
are the primary means of identifying dangerous goods by ground staff and flight
crewmembers. Most dangerous goods packages may also contain makings and
handling labels providing more information on the nature and handling of such
goods. See the different types of markings and labels here.
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
Pictograms
Packaging of articles and substances marked with GHS pictograms may suggest
that the contents are classified as dangerous goods when transported by air. See
the different types of GHS pictograms here.
Hidden Dangerous Goods List
Many common household and commercial products known by their general
descriptions may contain articles or substances that are classified as
dangerous goods. If undetected, such products containing hidden dangerous goods
may be incorrectly offered as undeclared dangerous goods for transportation by
air. Examples of such hidden dangerous goods can be found here.
Safety Data Sheets
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS), also known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS),
or Product Safety Data Sheet (PSDS), contains information on the classification
of dangerous goods based on their hazardous characteristics, for the purposes
of transportation by air. While it is a requirement to provide an SDS for
chemical substances, many manufacturers and suppliers of other kinds of
commercial and consumer products also publish and provide SDS for their
products. View a sample SDS here.
An SDS is often used to identify dangerous goods when there is no clear
identification on the packaging. As such, when uncertain if certain items
should be classified as dangerous goods, shippers and freight forwarders may
contact the supplier/manufacturer for confirmation, or request a copy of the
SDS for further information.
The information in the SDS would identify and classify dangerous goods without
the need for addition references, but the other three methods above should be
used in combination with the SDS for more accurate information.
Packing dangerous goods –
To ensure safe transportation of dangerous goods by air, they must be packed
according to stringent requirements and in prescribed quantity limits.
The ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Air contains packing instructions and
the quantity limits applicable to each dangerous goods substance or article
that shippers must comply with. Specific packaging materials (e.g. boxes, drums
and jerricans) meeting performance test standards must be used to pack and
prepare dangerous goods for transport by air.
Marking and labeling dangerous goods -
Prior to transportation by air, articles and substances classified and
identified as dangerous goods must be accurately marked and labelled with their
UN or ID number and proper shipping name, with such information clearly
indicated on the dangerous goods transport document and cargo packaging.
iii) Training and information is provided to
employees to enable them to carry out their responsibilities in the
carriage of dangerous goods.
If any person contravenes dangerous goods regulations*, he/she may be fined
and/or imprisoned upon conviction.
^ A freight forwarder is any person or organisation which offers the service
of arranging the transport of cargo by air. As the shipper’s agent, the freight
forwarder may undertake part or all of the shipper’s responsibilities.
* CA ACT consolidated, 275N. DANGEROUS GOODS.
(1) A person who, in breach of the rules, carries or causes
to be carried on an aircraft any dangerous goods commits an offence.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 69(6), a person who commits an
offence under Subsection (1) is liable to a fine not exceeding K75,000.00.
Training Requirements
Training Requirements for Safe Handling of Dangerous Goods
To ensure that
dangerous goods can be safely transported by air, it is important to provide
training to all employees involved in the handling of Dangerous Goods. This
includes the service providers appointed to handle dangerous goods consignments
on behalf of shipper.
Initial and recurrent training programmes for Dangerous Goods must be
established and maintained by the following persons or organizations involved
in the carriage of Dangerous Goods by air:
a. Shippers of Dangerous Goods, including
packers and persons/organizations undertaking the shipper’s responsibilities
b. Operators of Singapore-registered
aircraft
c. Ground handling agencies, which
perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of accepting, handling, loading,
unloading, transferring or other processing of cargo, mail or stores
d. Ground handling agencies, located at an
airport, which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of processing
passengers
e. Agencies, not located at an airport,
which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of checking in passengers
f. Every public postal operator
Important
to Know:
Contents of
Dangerous Goods training programmes should comply with the requirements as
specified in the ICAO Technical Instructions.
Employers are required to maintain Dangerous Goods training
records of their employees in accordance with the requirements of the ICAO Technical Instructions.
Operators of Singapore-registered aircraft, ground handling
agents and aviation security screening service providers, providing dangerous
goods training to its employees, must submit their training programmes to CAAS
for approval using form CA 92 3 (PDF, 99 KB).
Dangerous goods are articles or substances which are capable of posing a hazard to health, safety, property or the environment and which are shown in the list of dangerous goods in the Technical Instructions or which are classified according to those Instructions. ICAO Technical Instructions (ICAO TI) for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, ICAO Supplement to the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR).
Dangerous Goods are also known as restricted articles, hazardous materials and dangerous cargo.
For the purposes of air transportation, common household items,
including consumer goods and industrial supplies (for example lithium
batteries, aerosol cans, compressed gas cylinders and flammable liquids such as
solvent-based paint) are classified as dangerous goods. When such items, are transported by air,
without being correctly prepared/packaged, processed/handled, declared and accepted,
they can become hazardous. For safety
reasons, it is therefore important to observe the regulations and requirements
on the carriage of dangerous goods by air.
Some common examples of dangerous goods can be found here.
The local Civil Aviation Authority Regulations (CASA PNG) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) governs the carriage of dangerous goods onboard an aircraft.
To ensure the safe transport of dangerous goods by air, air
operators, shippers, and freight forwarders must comply with the following
regulations and requirements in place:
Dangerous goods are classified according to the ICAO Doc 9284 Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The document containing the full list of dangerous goods may be obtained, here
Responsibilities of Air Operators
An air operator
is defined as any person, organization or enterprise that agrees to engage in
domestic or international commercial air transport, whether directly or
indirectly or by a lease or any other arrangement; and which offers the service
of transporting goods or people by aircraft.
Your Responsibilities as an Air Operator
·
The
air operator is responsible for:
·
Acceptance
of Dangerous Goods
·
Storage
of Dangerous Goods, prior to loading and after unloading from the aircraft
·
Loading
of Dangerous Goods including segregation, stowage and securing of Dangerous
Goods on board the aircraft
·
Inspecting
Dangerous Goods packages to ensure that they comply with the technical
instructions, prior to loading onto and after unloading from the aircraft
·
Providing
passengers and crew with Dangerous Goods information (including emergency
response information to train the crew to handle Dangerous Goods incidents and
accidents)
·
Reporting
Dangerous Goods incidents and accidents to the CASA and the State of Occurrence
·
Retention
of Dangerous Goods documentation records
·
Training
of employees
No Dangerous
Goods may be carried on board a civil aircraft unless the air operator obtains
a permit from the CASA PNG.
For permit requirements on Dangerous Goods, please click on the link below.
Dangerous Goods Permit
Responsibilities of Shippers and Freight Forwarders
Your Responsibilities as a Shipper or Freight Forwarder
Dangerous goods, if not declared, packed or handled properly, may leak
hazardous contents, give off flammable or toxic fumes, ignite a fire, or even
explode due to vibrations or changes to air pressure and temperature, when
transported by air.
However, with proper declarations on transport documents, packaging and
handling of dangerous goods in accordance with regulations, and by providing
the necessary training and information to employees and service providers,
dangerous goods can be safely transported by air on both passenger and cargo
aircraft.
To ensure the safety of aircraft, passengers and crew, if you are a shipper or
freight forwarder, please ensure that:
i) The articles or substances are not forbidden for carriage by air under any
circumstances;
ii) Dangerous goods are properly classified, identified, packed, marked,
labelled and accompanied by a Dangerous Goods Transport Document (also
known as the Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods), in compliance
with the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Air;
Classifying dangerous goods -
Dangerous goods are classified into 9 different classes based on their
hazardous properties and characteristics. Some classes are further subdivided
into hazard divisions. Find out more here.
Identifying dangerous goods -
Identifying dangerous goods is essential for their correct handling and safe
transport of dangerous goods. Shippers and freight forwarders can identify
dangerous goods through one or more of the following techniques:
Dangerous Goods Marks and Labels
Hazard labels corresponding to the hazard class and division of dangerous goods
are the primary means of identifying dangerous goods by ground staff and flight
crewmembers. Most dangerous goods packages may also contain makings and
handling labels providing more information on the nature and handling of such
goods. See the different types of markings and labels here.
Globally Harmonized System (GHS)
Pictograms
Packaging of articles and substances marked with GHS pictograms may suggest
that the contents are classified as dangerous goods when transported by air. See
the different types of GHS pictograms here.
Hidden Dangerous Goods List
Many common household and commercial products known by their general
descriptions may contain articles or substances that are classified as
dangerous goods. If undetected, such products containing hidden dangerous goods
may be incorrectly offered as undeclared dangerous goods for transportation by
air. Examples of such hidden dangerous goods can be found here.
Safety Data Sheets
A Safety Data Sheet (SDS), also known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS),
or Product Safety Data Sheet (PSDS), contains information on the classification
of dangerous goods based on their hazardous characteristics, for the purposes
of transportation by air. While it is a requirement to provide an SDS for
chemical substances, many manufacturers and suppliers of other kinds of
commercial and consumer products also publish and provide SDS for their
products. View a sample SDS here.
An SDS is often used to identify dangerous goods when there is no clear
identification on the packaging. As such, when uncertain if certain items
should be classified as dangerous goods, shippers and freight forwarders may
contact the supplier/manufacturer for confirmation, or request a copy of the
SDS for further information.
The information in the SDS would identify and classify dangerous goods without
the need for addition references, but the other three methods above should be
used in combination with the SDS for more accurate information.
Packing dangerous goods –
To ensure safe transportation of dangerous goods by air, they must be packed
according to stringent requirements and in prescribed quantity limits.
The ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of
Dangerous Goods by Air contains packing instructions and
the quantity limits applicable to each dangerous goods substance or article
that shippers must comply with. Specific packaging materials (e.g. boxes, drums
and jerricans) meeting performance test standards must be used to pack and
prepare dangerous goods for transport by air.
Marking and labeling dangerous goods -
Prior to transportation by air, articles and substances classified and
identified as dangerous goods must be accurately marked and labelled with their
UN or ID number and proper shipping name, with such information clearly
indicated on the dangerous goods transport document and cargo packaging.
iii) Training and information is provided to
employees to enable them to carry out their responsibilities in the
carriage of dangerous goods.
If any person contravenes dangerous goods regulations*, he/she may be fined
and/or imprisoned upon conviction.
^ A freight forwarder is any person or organisation which offers the service
of arranging the transport of cargo by air. As the shipper’s agent, the freight
forwarder may undertake part or all of the shipper’s responsibilities.
* CA ACT consolidated, 275N. DANGEROUS GOODS.
(1) A person who, in breach of the rules, carries or causes
to be carried on an aircraft any dangerous goods commits an offence.
(2) Notwithstanding Section 69(6), a person who commits an
offence under Subsection (1) is liable to a fine not exceeding K75,000.00.
Training Requirements
Training Requirements for Safe Handling of Dangerous Goods
To ensure that
dangerous goods can be safely transported by air, it is important to provide
training to all employees involved in the handling of Dangerous Goods. This
includes the service providers appointed to handle dangerous goods consignments
on behalf of shipper.
Initial and recurrent training programmes for Dangerous Goods must be
established and maintained by the following persons or organizations involved
in the carriage of Dangerous Goods by air:
a. Shippers of Dangerous Goods, including
packers and persons/organizations undertaking the shipper’s responsibilities
b. Operators of Singapore-registered
aircraft
c. Ground handling agencies, which
perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of accepting, handling, loading,
unloading, transferring or other processing of cargo, mail or stores
d. Ground handling agencies, located at an
airport, which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of processing
passengers
e. Agencies, not located at an airport,
which perform, on behalf of the operator, the act of checking in passengers
f. Every public postal operator
Important
to Know:
Contents of
Dangerous Goods training programmes should comply with the requirements as
specified in the ICAO Technical Instructions.
Employers are required to maintain Dangerous Goods training
records of their employees in accordance with the requirements of the ICAO Technical Instructions.
Operators of Singapore-registered aircraft, ground handling
agents and aviation security screening service providers, providing dangerous
goods training to its employees, must submit their training programmes to CAAS
for approval using form CA 92 3 (PDF, 99 KB).