The Dangerous Goods Audit Checklist

An audit checklist for dangerous goods air transportation is an indispensable way to safeguard shipments, helping identify mistakes that could cause carrier rejection, violations notices or worse-an emergency at 30.000 feet.

If a product falls within the definition of dangerous goods but does not fall into one of the special cases, compliance with TDG Regulations must be ensured.

Labels
Labels provide information to those handling a hazardous goods package about its potential hazards and provide instructions, warnings and weight figures that enable safe handling practices in accordance with regulations. This allows people to handle packages safely and abide by them accordingly.

Before placing a dangerous good on the market, its supplier must ensure it has been appropriately labeled with CLP. This obligation applies to manufacturers, importers and downstream users (such as formulators) of chemical substances or mixtures.

Small means of containment must display both primary and subsidiary class labels; large ones may include other safety marks depending on their type. Workplace labels are necessary if supplier labels become damaged or obscured or an alternative label has been attached to indicate its use in the workplace; additionally they should be used whenever any hazardous substance changes from what was advertised by its original provider; as well as for unknown substances which contain unknown risks in the workplace.

Containers
Proper packaging of dangerous goods is one of the key factors to ensuring safety. At an audit by the Department of Transportation (DOT), these containers must clearly display information regarding their hazard class and packing group labeling as well as written emergency instructions on them.

The Department of Transportation has created classes based on the amount of danger each substance poses during shipping and handling. Class 1 substances present the greatest hazard, requiring containers which meet performance standards to transport them safely.

All individuals offering to transport hazardous goods in commerce must establish and implement a transportation security plan for transporting dangerous goods, and fill out and maintain shipping papers including Bills of Lading, manifests, and site plans. Being prepared with this paperwork helps save time during audits while showing DOT compliance quickly.

Training
As with air freight shipping, knowing what the DOT expects and having all your paperwork in order is vital when transporting hazardous material. Nobody enjoys an audit from the Department of Transport (DOT), but being prepared can mean the difference between success and failure.

As part of their audit process, the DOT will closely scrutinize labeling procedures, cargo acceptance documentation and training for hazmat employees. With this checklist you can ensure your operations meet all DOT guidelines.

As well as this Hazardmat Audit Checklist, Grainger Office of Safety offers many university resources that can assist you in creating and documenting safety plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Furthermore, Lion is hosting DOT/IATA Hazmat Workshops throughout 2021 that can equip you with everything needed to ship hazardous goods by land and air while remaining compliant with US regulations – register today!

Safety Equipment
Safety equipment is key to the proper handling of hazmat shipments. Shippers of air cargo must ensure that packaging can withstand handling, pressure fluctuations and temperature shifts while being labeled clearly with special care instructions and classification data. IATA works closely with airlines to ensure these regulations are adhered to exactly.

Workers responsible for creating hazmat shipping documentation must receive training on how to safely handle and transport chemicals. They should also know where SDS (formerly MSDS) for each chemical they’re working with can be located so they can adhere to regulations in terms of storage, shipping and transporting.

An audit conducted by DOT of hazardous materials will include checks on placarding requirements, storage information, licensing details and inspection records as well as any security measures taken during transport of hazmat shipments.