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Dg & Safety
Module 9 - Operator Acceptance and Handling Procedures Page 1 of 6

MODULE 9 || Operator Acceptance and Handling Procedures

 

Note: You must refer to the Operator’s Dangerous Goods Manual and/or specific Dangerous Goods documentation for any standard operating procedures (SOPs). It is mandatory for operators to include the transport of dangerous goods, including lithium batteries and cells as cargo, in their safety management system (SMS) and in their specific safety risk assessment on the transport of items in the cargo compartment.

Acceptance of dangerous goods by the operator

Operators must use a check sheet whenever accepting dangerous goods for transport. If anything is found to be incorrect and not in accordance with the IATA DGR it must be rejected and returned to the shipper. An explanation of why the package was rejected would be included on the “Acceptance Checklist”.

The person accepting the dangerous goods must be dangerous goods acceptance trained 

Note: This Dangerous Goods Course does not allow you to accept dangerous goods for air transport! 

The operator cannot change or amend any part of the “Shipper’s Declaration” or package. The shipper should be notified to correct all identified problems, prior to re-submitting the shipment to the operator for acceptance.

Section 9.1.5 of the IATA DGR outlines specific responsibilities for operators when accepting Infectious Substances. Transport must be made by the quickest possible routing. If there is a delay, then the operator must notify the shipper as soon as possible.

Remember: As mentioned in Module 3, cargo / freight staff are one of the final filters ensuring hidden dangerous goods do not end up up on the aircraft. Cargo staff should use all five senses in identifying hidden or mis-declared dangerous goods. Some ways to achieve this goal are as follows:

  • Look for any packages that may have DG labels attached
  • Be aware of any unusual smells that could be associated with dangerous goods
  • Be aware of content described by the consignor that does not match the look & feel of the package
  • Be alert for UN specified packages that are not declared as dangerous goods

 

 

 

Click here to download a PDF version of the checklist

Handling of dangerous goods and cargo

Operators must ensure that all dangerous goods packages are handled with care.

All dangerous goods packages, overpacks and unit load devices (ULDs) must be stored and loaded correctly according to the IATA DGR and the Operator’s Dangerous Goods Manual. All persons involved in the handling and loading of aircraft must inspect dangerous good packaging to ensure that they are not leaking or damaged.

All accidents or incidents must be reported to:

Note: Please refer to the Operator’s Dangerous Goods Manual for incident and accident reporting procedures.

Storage of dangerous goods

When storing Dangerous Goods, the following needs to be considered:

  • Self-reactive Substances of Division 4.1 and 5.2 must be shaded from direct sunlight and not over stowed with other cargo.
  • The shipper must be notified if there is a delay by the operator when transporting infectious substances. Whatever the mode of transport, the shipment must be made by the quickest possible routing.
  • Radioactive material can be stowed together up to a maximum of 50 TI.

 

Replacement of labels

After acceptance, should a mark or label be lost, detached or illegible, it is permissible for the operator's staff to replace them. The replacement of any marks or labels should be in accordance with the information provided on the Shipper's Declaration for dangerous goods.

Please note: This requirement does not apply where the marks or labels are found to be missing or illegible at the time of acceptance.

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