5 HAZMAT Tips When Purchasing Aircraft Material
Do you often purchase aircraft material that's dangerous goods?
Have you ever experienced a delay? An issue? Or even working with others who can't ship HAZMAT?
Maybe you even received HAZMAT material that shipped with the wrong paperwork, had poor packaging, the cargo carrier bumped your shipment, or you had no idea it was HAZMAT.
The list of potential problems is endless. But more importantly...
Delays due to HAZMAT issues cost you time, money, and resources. It’s crazy to be AOG because you didn't receive your adhesive, oxygen generator or DK120 for your CVR on time.
Before you buy aircraft material that's HAZMAT, take this simple steps to help you avoid delays and costly mistakes.
Is your supplier certified?
Have you ever dealt with someone who couldn't ship HAZMAT? If so you know how frustrating this is. Why are they selling HAZMAT material if they can't ship it?
Before you waste your time sourcing HAZMAT material, be sure to work with someone who can actually ship the material you need. And don't bother using a third party. You'll spend over $150 per declaration.
Work with someone who knows HAZMAT and can ship it. And if they have a history of shipping hundreds and thousands of HAZMAT products, that's a great sign.
A simple request is all it takes: Ask them this:
"Sir/madam, Can you please send me your IATA and DOT HAZMAT certifications for your personnel?"
And they should reply with this:
Do you know your import countries DGR regulations?
Each country has their own dangerous good regulations. Some even ban them completely.
Surprise!
Here's a snippet right out of IATA Dangerous Goods book.
Before you purchase any aircraft material that's dangerous goods, know what your country regulations are. This will help you avoid any unnecessary delays...and surprises.
Do you know which operator will be transporting your aircraft material? Do you know what they accept and don't accept?
Just like with the country requirements, operators (passenger & cargo) have their own requirements of what they will and will not transport.
Here's a snippet for Aeromexico. They won't transport class 1 explosives and they'll only COMAT (company material) class 1.4S explosives. Those are things like fire cartridges.
If they don't accept it, don't book the flight with them. Know this beforehand.
Does your aircraft material supplier create multiple dangerous good declarations when you use a freight forwarder?
When dangerous goods are being handled by a freight forwarder, your material supplier will have to create a dangerous goods declaration to the freight forwarder and then from the freight forwarder to you.
If they don't, the HAZMAT will have to be re-inspected by a third party, which costs you time and money.
When you're going to ship through a freight forwarder, make sure your supplier is able to create two declarations.
Have you received DGR material from your supplier before? How was the packaging?
The last and final tip is if you've received dangerous goods from your material partner before, audit their boxing. Even if you don't know much about HAZMAT, the boxes should be clean, well taped and instruct you on what type of material is in the box.
If you get a HAZMAT shipment that looks like it fell out of a plane, has ugly labeling, and looks like a child taped it, rethink who you’re partnering with.
BONUS: The penalties are HUGE for shipping HAZMAT wrong.
The reason your material partner may not ship HAZMAT is that the fines are costly.
"For “aggravated” hazmat violations—those that result in death, serious illness, severe injury or substantial destruction of property—FAA raised the civil penalty from $179,933 to $182,877 per day, per violation. "
Purchasing aircraft material that's HAZMAT is necessary.
Just make sure you take the steps above so you're never surprised about what you’re purchasing and the capabilities of your material supplier.
