Friday, July 25, 2014

How to Ship Hazardous Materials?

Hazardous materials cold cause injury to life and property, if handled incorrectly. This means that ordinary logistics procedures used every day across the world do not provide enough protection from these materials.

This is why a clear cut and rigidly enforced procedure has been devised that is now used internationally for the movement of hazardous material. The requirements have become stringent because of the potential threat of a terrorist incident.

The first thing any business dealing with hazardous material should do is to produce a material Safety Data Sheet. This sheet is a requirement for international and national movement of all dangerous substances. The sheet describes the material and outlines the risks associated with exposure. This sheet is one of the basic requirements for shipping, as all logistics agents require it as part of standard paper work.

It is important to note that not all shipping modes are suitable for shipping hazardous materials. The choice of the right mode depends on factors such as the type of the material, its destination and the total quantity of the shipment. The shipping agent is the right person to advice on the selection of the shipping mode.

Once the shipping mode has been decided, it is time to prepare the documentation package for the shipment, hazmet shipping documents take a while longer for preparation and processing because of the number of formalities involved. Consultations with a shipping agent experienced in hazmet shipping are the quickest way of dealing with the documentation.

While preparing the documents, it is important that the all regulations should be complied with strictly. This compliance is important as any overlooked aspect could block the shipment and cause serious problems for both the shipper and the shipping agent. Reputable shipping agents have entire teams dedicated to these matters of compliance.

Once the documentation package is ready, it is time to package the material for shipment. This is perhaps the most crucial step of the procedure. Many hazmet related tragedies have occurred because of insecure or improper packaging.

When considering the packaging for shipment, the nature of the hazmet should be taken into consideration. The packaging should be strong enough to contain the material in the event of an accident. In addition, the shipping containers should be sufficiently cushion and anchored to withstand the rigors of transportation. One of the ways to simplify this is to use the industry standard hazmet shipping containers.

An often overlooked step of the procedure is proper labeling of the shipping containers. By default, shipping containers are labeled with hazmet signs to instantly identify the material inside. However, shipping agents should also provide labels for the individual cargo units inside the container. This way any loose cargo package could be instantly identified and dealt with properly.

Once the material has been properly packaged for shipping, it is time to load it up on the designated truck, ship or aircraft. Usually, transportation carrying hazmet do not carry anything else.

Shipping hazardous material could become a hectic task in the hands of an inexperienced shipping agent.

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