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Securing Dangerous Goods on Aircraft
Packages of dangerous goods must be protected and secured so as to prevent movement, which would change their orientation.
Incompatible dangerous goods must also be segregated physically, and separated by non-dangerous goods cargo. Table 9.3.A of the IATA DGR must be referred to when planning the loading on an aircraft. We will discuss Table 9.3.A in more details under the "Incompatible Dangerous Goods" section below.
The accepted industry standard of separation for incompatible dangerous goods is 1 metre. However, if possible, a higher separation distance is desirable.
Restrictions for Passenger Aircraft and Flight Deck
Dangerous goods must not be carried in the passenger cabin or on the flight deck of an aircraft. The only exception to this is the following:
- Those dangerous goods permitted to travel, according to Table 2.3.A of the IATA DGR (Dangerous Goods Carried by Passengers and Crew).
- Those dangerous goods permitted in Operator’s Property pertinent to airworthiness requirements and state regulations.
- Dangerous goods can be loaded onto the passenger main deck level only if it is a cargo compartment that meets the criteria of a Class B or Class C aircraft cargo compartment.
A Class B compartment is one in which:
- there is sufficient access in flight to enable a crew member to effectively reach any part of the compartment with the contents of a hand fire extinguisher;
- when the access provisions are being used, no hazardous quantity of smoke, flames or extinguishing agent will enter any compartment occupied by crew or passengers, and;
- there is a separate approved smoke detector or fire detector system to give warning at the pilot or flight engineer station.
A Class C compartment is a cargo or baggage compartment which does not meet the requirements for either a Class A or Class B compartment but contains:
- a separate approved smoke detector or fire detector system to give warning at the pilot or flight engineer station;
- an approved built-in fire-extinguishing system controllable from the pilot or flight engineer station;
- means of excluding hazardous quantities of smoke, flames, or extinguishing agent from any compartment occupied by the crew or passengers; and
- means of controlling ventilation and draughts within the compartment so that the extinguishing agent used can control any fire that may start within the compartment.
Packages bearing the "Cargo Aircraft Only" label must not be loaded on passenger aircraft.
Cargo Aircraft Only
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A package bearing the “Cargo Aircraft Only” label must only ever be loaded on a cargo aircraft only! They also must also be accessible at all times. That means they can be seen, handled and, if size permits, separated in flight - should it be needed. The only exception to this is if the dangerous goods are:
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Incompatible Dangerous Goods
Packages containing dangerous goods that might react dangerously with each other must not be stowed in a position that would allow interaction in the case of leakage. Incompatible dangerous goods must be segregated as stated in Table 9.3.A of the IATA DGR (see below).
The aim of Table 9.3.A is to help us determine whether two classes of dangerous goods are safe to be loaded together or not. To use the table, you simply look up the class of dangerous good along the top row, then :
- An 'X' at the intersection of a row and column indicates that packages containing these classes/divisions of dangerous goods must be segregated.
- A '--' at the intersection of a row and column indicates that packages containing these classes/divisions of dangerous goods do not require segregation.
If any dangerous good freight / cargo is deemed to be incompatible according to Table 9.3.A, then they must be separated be a minimum of 1 meter.
Remember that Divisions 1.4S, 4.1 and Classes 6 and 7 are not included in Table 9.3.A because they do not require segregation from other classes of dangerous goods. Packages or overpacks containing dangerous goods in Class 9 also do not require segregation UNLESS the dangerous goods are Class 9 lithium ion or Class 9 lithium metal batteries or Class 9 sodium ion batteries. See Note 2 in Table 9.3.A below for more details.
Explosives may be stowed together in some situations, as determined by their compatibility group. See Note 3 in Table 9.3.A below and Section 9.3.2.2.5 of the current IATA DGR for more details.
This is not a memory test! The take-home message is that some dangerous goods should be segregated from others during acceptance, handling and loading. Table 9.3.A helps you to work out which DGs must be segregated.
As always - you should refer to the the Operator's dangerous goods manual and the current IATA DGR. You should also refer to the State regulations for current details and variations.
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