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With extensive knowledge of moving sensitive cargoes worldwide, we regularly deal with Section 5, explosives and other licensable consignments. Find out more about us by following us on Tumblr: http://simtexinternational.tumblr.com/

What are dangerous goods

As you might expect there is no absolute definition as to what constitutes a dangerous substance. In a school laboratory science teachers are required to have a broad understanding of a set of regulations known as The Containment Of Substances Hazardous to Health, or COSHH for short. In the transport of dangerous goods a similar level of awareness is probably a good idea for the employee responsible for the load. The onus is on the industry to collectively operate with the safety of its employees and the wider public at the heart of its core business.

The term dangerous goods covers everything from infectious biological agents, to flammable organic compounds, to explosives, to corrosive substances and everything in between and back again, twice!  Clearly there are very strict regulations concerning how such goods should be transported. The sender of the goods is responsible for organising the transport of the goods in question. This means the specific rules pertaining to the substances in question and the mode of transport by which it is going to be moved must be followed to the letter.

Packaging and Labelling Dangerous Goods

Consigners are responsible for training their employees in the handling, packaging and labelling of any substance which falls under the remit of the term dangerous. Many transport companies have specially trained employees called dangerous goods safety advisors (DGSA’s), in many countries this is a legal requirement. These advisors are qualified to ensure that the goods in question meet the legal requirements for their transportation, whether this is by road, rail, ship or by air craft. The global haulage industry has a database of organisations that run dangerous goods training programs. Individual companies are strongly advised to obtain accreditation from a reputable organisation.

Transport by Aircraft:

The Air Transport Association (ATA) is an international body which agrees the regulations for transporting dangerous goods. Cargo is regularly inspected and the penalties are severe if the inspection is failed and even more so if any kind of accident (fatal or otherwise) can be traced to the transport of dangerous goods which were not declared as such. Again specific advice from a DGSA is required whether you are using one aircraft or 500. The responsibility is yours and no-one else’s.

Transport by Road:

In the European Union the body responsible for enforcing regulations is the European Agreement on the Carriage of dangerous or ADR for short. As with the ATA it sets out the rules and certification required which are enforced with everything from regular spot checks to full company audits. Once again penalties can be severe ranging from unlimited fines to long term custodial sentences for infringement of the rules. 

 Transport by Sea:

The rules for maritime transport are covered by guidance covered in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, or IMDG for short. Regulations for the transport of fuels and other bulk goods are covered by a myriad of maritime and coast guard agencies who have specialist knowledge in this area. The transport of nuclear and radioactive material is covered by the appropriate nuclear regulatory authority. Again prosecutions for infringement can be very severe.

Transport by Rail: This is much more country specific but overall the enforcement regime is covered by national bodies which oversea national regulations. A key piece of legislation in the EU is the convention covering international carriage by rail. The carriage of dangerous goods regulations gives the authority to refuse entry of goods which do not meet the guidelines for a particular country.
In conclusion the transport of dangerous goods by all modes of transport is subject to stringent international regulation for which the consigner will be held accountable for non-compliance. 

Hazardous Cargo Transportation

Transporting hazardous goods such as explosive substances and articles, flammable gases and liquids, toxic substances, and radioactive materials can be very dangerous if they are not done in the correct way; because of this, there are certain regulations which need to be followed.

Some of the regulations which need to be pursued during the transportation process are:

Packaging - The UN have specification standards and your packaging needs to meet these requirements and standards. Your goods must be put through and pass tests in order to meet the requirements of the UN, for example pressure testing. Your goods must go through a variety of tests, and the pressure test is where your goods will be held in stacks and the packaging of your goods must remain the same as it was before it went through the testing. Another practical test which is carried out is dropping your batch of goods; this is so that they pass practical transport regulations. Your goods can only be approved for transport if they pass these tests and they also have the correct labelling, if they do not have the right labelling then they will not be approved.

Documentation - You must be able to provide a license or permit card for hazmat training when requested by officials. The shipper must also prepare a special declaration form, which usually contains emergency information, the shipper’s name and address and also the consignee's name and address; it also includes a description of each of the individual dangerous goods, in addition with their categorization, amount, and packaging. The IATA (International Air Transport Association) usually issues these documents if you require air shipments.

Handling - The laws and regulations of handling dangerous materials differ depending on the status and activity of the materials. The people who are specifically trained and experienced to deal with any spillages or leakages of the materials are very experienced with this work and they have to wear protective equipment for safety regulations. A fire department will have a response team to deal with these types of dangers.

Simtex International also offer a wide range of services for the shipment of class unsafe goods including commercial and military explosives, explosives storage, missiles, cartridges, weapons, sensitive tools and devices. Simtex also have a team of officials who specialise in the packaging of hazardous goods because they have a great knowledge and experience in dangerous shipments. Simtex are dedicated to provide the highest standards throughout the operation, so they make sure that you have the correct documentation. Simtex are also approved for air shipments by the IATA and also 49 CRF (Hazardous Cargo Transportation within the USA), this allows us to transport your products legally, securely and quickly anywhere around the world.

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Top quality freight management and international hazardous material transportation is our legacy – and that's why we take so much care in doing it properly. We ensure our methods are always secure, quick, legal and safe, so you don't have to worry about “risking it”. To learn more about what we do, visit our website: www.simtex-intl.com

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You can rely on us to deliver your cargo safely and in fact due to our experience and knowledge within this industry you can be confident in choosing us. For more information please visit our website - http://www.simtex-intl.com/packing-and-transport.html

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We offer our clients an extensive range of services for the movement of their cargo. Due to the fact that we are shipping goods ranging from military explosives to tools and devices, we take the time to fully understand our clients business and needs. For more information please visit us at - http://www.simtex-intl.com/supply-chain-management.html

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All the information about our dangerous good shipping service is explained in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uun9e9kG2zE