Cargo Acceptance - Hidden Dangerous Goods

Some dangerous goods are not easy to identify. Sometimes cargo declared under a general description contains unapparent dangerous goods. Or, passengers may attempt to carry such goods in their baggage, either knowingly or unknowingly. In these circumstances the hazardous articles are not apparent and are referred to as hidden dangerous goods. They are covered in Subsection 2.2 of the DGR.

Operators' acceptance staff must be adequately trained to identify and detect dangerous goods presented as general cargo or hidden in passenger baggage. Staff may be alerted by fumes, odors, smoke, or information written on the package. If cargo acceptance or passenger check-in staff suspects that cargo or baggage might contain dangerous goods, they should seek confirmation from shippers and passengers regarding the contents of any item. If dangerous goods are discovered in baggage or general cargo, operator staff should seek assistance from dangerous goods acceptance personnel.

Cargo acceptance staff, reservation and sales staff, and passenger check-in staff must be provided with the following information:

• General descriptions that are often used for cargo or baggage that may contain dangerous goods
• Other indications that dangerous goods may be present (such as labels and markings)
• Dangerous goods that may be carried with passengers in accordance with DGR Subsection 2.3

Cargo acceptance and passenger check-in staff should be familiar with commodities that often include hidden dangerous goods. This includes items such as auto parts, company materials (COMAT), electrical equipment, household goods, media equipment, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals, and tool boxes. Shippers must check the consignment against the class definitions and special provisions of the DGR, and confirm that no part of these goods is dangerous.

Freight forwarders, ground handling agents, and operators must also be familiar with diamond-shaped GHS pictograms because their presence on packages may indicate the presence of dangerous goods. While some GHS pictograms identify substances that only pose a hazard for supply and use, other pictograms include symbols that are equivalent to the symbols used in hazard labels for transport and, therefore, may be classified as dangerous goods. Consult Table B.4.A in the 59th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations for more information.

To learn more about Cargo Acceptance visit our IATA DGR Cargo Acceptance Online Training web page.