Hazardous products are not only needles, chemicals, and firearms but many other items as well. In the shipping industry they use the term hazardous materials table reference to anything that may be dangerous to persons to deal with during shipping if not controlled. Internationally, most dangerous goods are classified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that oversees most principles of air transport. However, depending on the type and the nature of the delivery, the carrier might have special conditions. What might interest you is the fact that even items such as liquids and lithium-ion batteries also come under this category.
Lithium-ion batteries have become one of the most shipped dangerous goods by the modern eCommerce sellers globally. Abesive measures must be adopted in the classification to allow safe transport through air freight. It is also worthy to point out the current fact that airlines all around the globe are experiencing more or less difficulties connected with fires on board aircrafts which are initiated with lithium-ion batteries.
This guide will endeavor to explain who is responsible for goods that are on the list, and give practical techniques for getting these goods across borders without trouble. But if you have any doubts till now, we strongly suggest to contact your courier of choice for the latest information and recommendations concerning your individual case.
What Qualifies as a Dangerous Good?
As the reader will recall, the definition of dangerous goods is not limited to needles, chemicals, or firearms. Anything and everything can come under the category of dangerous goods. Here lets discuss the factors considered in categorizing hazardous material and come up with an examples list.
Common Examples of Dangerous Goods:
- Batteries in general or rechargeable batteries like the lithium-ion batteries that are used in mobile phones and laptops.
- Liquids
- Imitation weapons
Carriage providers normally provide their list of prohibited item/Article and which may include aerosols, firearms, and any advertised material regarding transportation which is flammable. These goods are frequently subjected to legal restrictions by either importing country or by air freight carriers, therefore it is important to check beforehand if the shipment contains prohibited items.
This section will focus on the categories of the dangerous goods and the best approach to recognizing them.
Dangerous Goods Classifications
The DOT and other global agencies classify nine categories of dangerous goods. This means to get a right categorization you must understand how your item needs to be classified to get the right treatment. Below are the nine primary classes:
Class 1: Explosives
This class includes items such as:
- Fireworks
- Ammunition
- Airbag inflators
Class 2: Gases
This category includes items such as:
- Aerosols
- Fire extinguishers
- Propane cylinders
Class 3: Flammable Liquids
This group covers items such as:
- Paints
- Lacquers
- Alcohol-based products
Class 4: Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible Materials
This class includes materials like:
- Matches
- Activated carbon
- Sodium batteries
Class 5: Oxidizing Substances
Examples in this category include:
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Ammonium nitrate fertilizers
- Pool chlorine
Class 6: Toxic or Infectious Substances
This category includes hazardous items like:
- Medical waste
- Dyes
- Pesticides
Class 7: Radioactive Materials
This group encompasses items such as:
- Density gauges
- Medical treatment products
- Uranium
Class 8: Corrosives
Materials in this class include:
- Acids and acid solutions
- Batteries
- Iodine
Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods
This category includes various goods such as:
- Dry ice
- Internal combustion engines
- First aid kits
It is necessary to know about these classifications to try to avoid the accidents and follow the adequate regulations for transport of dangerous throughout countries and continents by various types of vehicles, water means and aviation means.
What Are the Costs of Shipping Dangerous Goods?
However, it is possible to ship the hazardous substances and materials with major carriers like FedEx and UPS even though they seem to be a little far from what is available. However, most of the delivery companies give extra fee for the conveyance of the dangerous merchandise because of the many risks and careful handling required.
However, the insurance costs of the dangerous goods are often higher meaning that organizations transporting these products are exposed to a higher level of risk. Some carriers may even force you to buy insurance for protection against both their health andlive working condition risks and in some other cases, some carriers can decide to waive all their liabilities for the products that were in transit and that caused damage.
In this section, we are going to discuss all possible costs that may be attached to shipping dangerous goods and so you will be prepared when it comes to any expenses.
Shipping with FedEx
Each of the two types of shipping arrangements has additional fees that can be charged when shipping dangerous goods with FedEx. When it comes to the movement of dangerous goods, they can be sorted in to two parts with regard to how accessible they are during transportation.
- Accessible Dangerous Goods: These items are classified as dangerous, and must remain within the sphere of influence of the crew at any time of shipment. Extra fees are required because a special type of handling is required providing instant access.
- Inaccessible Dangerous Goods: These are also classified as hazardous but do not need to be accessed in transit either. In particular, the handling fees for these items seem to diverge from embarked handling fees for accessible dangerous commodities.
FedEx Pricing for Dangerous Goods Shipments
The charge for shipping of dangerous goods through FedEx depends on the type of shipment and their classification. Below is a breakdown of the fees for different services:
FedEx Service | Accessible Goods Cost | Inaccessible Goods Cost | Dry Ice Cost | Inaccessible (Dry Ice) Cost |
FedEx First Overnight | $145 | $68.50 | $7.05 | $68.50 |
FedEx Priority Overnight | $145 | $68.50 | $7.05 | $68.50 |
International Priority Express Freight Services – Accessible | Greater of $217 or $1.18 per lb. | Greater of $107.50 or $0.59 per lb. | $7.05 per shipment | $7.05 per package (to/from Puerto Rico) |
International Express Freight Services – Accessible | Greater of $217 or $1.18 per lb. | Greater of $107.50 or $0.59 per lb. | — | — |
Also, one should realize that there can be a minimum billable weight. This means that before making your shipment to FedEx, you should consult with the company’s customer care and get further clarification.
Shipping with UPS
That is, there are different rates as well, but, again, depending on the shipping company and the finally designated dangerous goods, they can be divided into accessible and inaccessible ones. On the subsequent section is offered the information about fees related to shipping of the hazardous materials using UPS.
UPS Pricing for Dangerous Goods Shipments
In UPS transportation, dangerous items costs depend on the definition of access or inaccessibility of the transported products. Below is a summary of the fees associated with various UPS services:
Package / Service | Accessible Dangerous Goods | Inaccessible Dangerous Goods |
UPS® Ground | $33.00 per package | $33.00 per package |
UPS Domestic Air Services | $93.00 per package | $46.50 per package |
UPS International Air Services | Greater of $146.00 per shipment or $17.53 per Dangerous Goods package | Greater of $72.00 per shipment or $8.64 per Dangerous Goods package |
UPS Worldwide Express Freight Services | Greater of $146.00 per shipment or $0.79 per lb. | Greater of $72.00 per shipment or $0.39 per lb. |
These fees relate to the additional care and regulatory attention that cargoes, particularly dangerous goods, require. Though, for more detailed information or for ensuring that your shipment fulfills all requirements, it is advised to contact to UPS.
How to Properly Pack Dangerous Goods
Essentially the justification for labelling some goods as ‘dangerous’ is because the items are dangerous to those involved in moving them from the origin to the destination. The products have to stay intact right from the time of packaging up to the final delivery and anyone who has to come into contact with the shipment must be protected. For instance, while transporting lithium batteries, it is necessary to take a lot of precautions to avoid short circuit or deterioration of the battery.
Whether or not the body of the shipment is a laptop or liquid, all bodies must be protected from any harm. This brings the point that poor packaging can lead to shipment hitches. Such packaging regulation may differ by carrier and the quantitative density of dangerous goods in the shipment. For instance shipping lithium batteries, many couriers put restrictions like the size of the vessel is up to 100ml for liquids, and only two batteries per shipment. It is recommended that for the most accurate information with regard to the current regulations as they may change at any one time, the courier company should be contacted directly.
Marking & Labeling Requirements
The various requirements concerning marking and labeling can be varied depending on which courier facilities you intend to use. In consequence, below are some of the major labeling directive from FedEx and UPS Labeling Quick Reference Guide.
FedEx Guidelines
In the case of shipments that involves dangerous goods, FedEx has a laid down marking plan. All packages must include the following four key markings:
- Shipper’s address
- Recipient’s address
- Technical name for transportation, according to the United States Department of Transportation, DOT.
- UN/NA Identification Number
Also, all shipments have to meet requirements described in Title 49 of Federal Code of Regulation (49 CFR). Before you ship the items, make sure that you do not fall prey of the restrictions that are put in place by FedEx company.
UPS Guidelines
Like FedEx, UPS has its own rules as to packaging requirements as to how a package should be labeled: either with the compliance with 49 CFR or IATA. However, UPS mandates that all dangerous goods packages must include the following information:
- Shipper’s name and identification number
- Nom de code technique (si disponible)
- Shipper’s name and address
- Consignee’s name and address
- In directional management, several orientation markings are required where and when necessary.
It must also be noted that all distinctive markings have to be positioned with reference to other messages so that they are clearly distinguishable from other labels, and are not overlaid by them.
Dangerous Goods Shipping Regulations
As a result most of the items are not supposed to be shipped by air and have to be transported by surface freight according to the IATA dangerous goods regulations. Although this is cheaper in comparison to the above said services, then this seems to be time-bound with the customer end receiving their consignment relatively slower.
Attached or built-in batteries in portable devices and unconnected batteries are some of the most difficult to handle in the courier services. Regarding the shipping of batteries, you should check with the carrier regarding the shipping rules because these are constantly changing a violation of which results in severe safety consequences. Non-compliance is penalized, even in undiscovered situations and with undeclared dangerous goods shipments, and as national governments become more strict, these fines are becoming extensive.
For instance, giants such as Amazon have been penalized for transporting excessive numbers of lithium ion batteries yet failing to declare them. Even where such non-compliance is accidental, mere ignorance of the regulations will not be a proper defense.
Also most goods are prohibited from air transport under IATA regulations and express couriers will not transport dangerous goods even if they are permitted for ground transport. In these circumstances, it may also be banned from other countries too from the list of importation destinations. hence it is advisable to consult your courier to ensure that your shipment is allowed to be imported.
If a country agrees to accept these dangerous goods, in effect then there would be no courier service willing to transport them. It is advisable always to confirm the proper shipping and options with your courier company before dispatching dangerous goods.
3 Essential Tips for Shipping Dangerous Goods shipment
Dangerous goods shipping is easier than you think. To make things easier here are three main essentials to follow when it comes to shipping your hazardous items.
1. Consider Splitting Your Shipment
However, if you want to stay clear of the many complications involved in the ferrying of hazardous materials regulations or products, you might wish to ask your courier if your consignment could be divided. That way, there is the possibility of completely excluding such documents or special measures connected with the transportation of hazardous goods.
At times, it is altogether more economical to split your shipment into several pieces or make these parcels non-hazardous ones. This is especially common with things like mobile phones or laptops where it is possible to minimize the shipment size to below hazardous material levels.
But this also has its drawbacks. Consignees are restricted not only in the number of dangerous goods per shipment but also in the overall number of hazardous shipments per consignee per day for couriers. This could put you in a position whereby you are having to make several arrangements of deliveries over different days, which can be even more time-consuming.
2. Ensure Proper Documentation for Dangerous Goods
Documentation is a critical parameter when dealing with the medical and environmentally hazardous substances and products that require shipping. Failing to declare all dangerous goods in the air waybill and the commercial invoice might cause such consignments to be delayed. For every dangerous good listed in your shipment, be sure to write a detailed “Item Description.”
Many couriers will need you to fill in an advance international air waybill with additional information and give them your shipper’s phone number which should be valid for 24 hours. Even minor differences or lack of information may cause numerous problems when crossing the customs borders.
Furthermore, most other dangerous goods packaging may require other communicating methods such as hazard labels that should inform a potential receiver of the risks of the package. An UN-number referring to the type of dangerous goods to be transported must also be placed. Sometimes, it might be essential to include other symbols for the shipment such as aerosols labels, batteries or fragile packing. This means that all labels must be clear, which also means that they must be clear to any person that comes across the package.
3. Verify Shipping Compliance Before Dispatch
In case you are planning to ship dangerous goods, make sure that their transportation complies fully with the relevant codes. Couriers such as UPS may make you sign for its terms and service and you may also be required to confirm that your shipment is in compliance with their provisions, however, it is still important to ensure that special permits or certification are needed for the shipment of hazardous goods.
Make certain that the shipment to which you are planning complies with all the necessary legal measures as well as federal regulations such as other safety standards. This may reduce instances of arrival delay, fines or constrains provoked by the customs. Please always check directly with your chosen courier for the latest guidelines and regulations concerning the transport of dangerous goods before making your shipment.
Shipping Dangerous Goods with Easyship
Therefore, the handling and transportation of these hazardous materials shipments and cargo involve the consideration of several critical factors postured below. Our shipping specialists at Easyship liaise with couriers to determine the feasibility of delivering the items, and whether or not all the required measures have been put in place. We therefore encourage you to do the same and contact your chosen courier if you have any concerns about your shipment.
Through the research, using secure packaging, paperwork, and correct labeling you will be on the right track to shipping dangerous goods safely and legally.
For other related guidelines and valuable information about shipping internationally, you are welcome to visit our list of guides.
Conclusion
Transshipment of dangerous goods is a delicate process that must be prepared, performed and controlled to the letter of the law. Whenever you are transporting items such as lithium batteries, chemicals or aerosols among others, it is very important to pack, label and document them appropriately for safety purposes. This way, through taking your research and doing your homework you ensure that you do not incur additional costs through delay and or fines from your courier.
To close they can just get in touch with trustworthy shipping partners like Easyship to simplify the process. Given the importance of timely delivery with nondangerous shipments, our team of shipping specialists regularly discusses the safety and compliance of dangerous goods with couriers. This simplifies it while at the same time guaranteeing that your products get to their destination unharmed and on time and without a hitch.
However, it is usual to notice that international shipping of dangerous goods means more than delivering the goods to the specified place. It involves working with a multitude of intricate rules, thinking about the company’s and carrier’s compliance in its international context, as well as addressing everything connected with its specific peculiarities. In doubt, one should always go back to the courier company and sought legal help to ensure that all the requirements are in place.