Cargo Acceptance - General Philosophy

Dangerous goods can be safely transported by air, provided that certain principles are strictly enforced. In response to the need for safe transportation, the DGR provides procedures and standards for shippers and operators who work with dangerous goods. The principles of the DGR philosophy include the following:

Classification: Dangerous goods are classified according to the criteria specified by the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts (UNSoE) on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. The UN classification determines the articles, substances, and conditions acceptable for air transport. The shipper is ultimately responsible for determining whether or not articles and substances are dangerous goods.

Prohibitions: Some dangerous goods are so hazardous that they are too dangerous to ever be transported by air. Others are forbidden for air transport without certain approvals from the States concerned. Certain types of dangerous goods can only be transported on cargo aircraft, while others may be carried on passenger aircraft if certain requirements are met.

Training: Training is essential to ensure the safe preparation and transportation of dangerous goods. When prepared and handled with regulatory compliance, dangerous goods are unlikely to cause a problem. Dangerous goods training is a mandatory requirement for all personnel involved in the preparation or transport of dangerous goods. The amount of training and the topics covered therein are dependent on the trainee's job functions. Recurrent training is required every 24 months to ensure knowledge is current, and a test must be taken to verify understanding of the regulations.

Training programs are subject to review and approval as determined by the appropriate national authority.

Packaging: Packaging is the essential component for the safe transportation of dangerous goods by air. The DGR provides packaging instructions for all dangerous goods acceptable for air transport, including a range of options for inner, outer, and single packagings. Most packaging instructions require the use of UN performance-tested specification packagings, unless the dangerous goods are shipped under the Limited Quantity provisions. Quantity limitations are imposed to minimize the risk should an incident occur.

Marking and Labeling: Packages must bear the required markings and labels to ensure that the materials and hazards are clearly recognized without having to refer to accompanying documentation, especially in an emergency.

Documentation: The shipper must provide proper declaration of dangerous goods to ensure that everyone in the transportation chain is aware that dangerous goods are being transported. The documentation ensures that dangerous goods are correctly accepted, handled, and loaded, and it informs personnel of the correct response if an accident occurs, either in-flight or on the ground.

Notification to Pilot-in-Command: The pilot-in-command must know what is on board the aircraft in order to properly assess and respond to any emergency situations. The pilot is responsible for conveying this information to air traffic services to aid in responding to any aircraft incident or accident involving dangerous goods.

Avoiding Hidden Hazards: Many dangerous goods may not be obviously dangerous. Information regarding hidden dangerous goods must be conveyed to passengers and shippers to assist them in recognizing dangerous goods that are not permitted to be carried on their person, in their baggage, or as cargo.

Accident/Incident Reporting: All dangerous goods accidents and incidents must be reported so that an investigation by the relevant authorities can determine the cause and establish necessary corrective action. If the result of the investigation requires changes to the DGR, then appropriate regulatory action must be taken without delay.

Human Factors: Human factors should be considered in all aspects of dangerous goods transportation. Human factors refer to environmental, organizational, and job factors, as well as human and individual characteristics, that influence behavior at work in a way that can affect health and safety.

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