How to Handle Hazardous Goods Shipping

Many businesses and organizations have an occasional need to ship what governments label “hazardous goods.” Hazardous goods shipping can be very complex and difficult to navigate. There are complex processes between the governments, local or international, for receiving these materials. Naturally, different states and countries want to prevent dangerous materials from entering their borders when possible. They also like to know what materials are coming in.

For that reason, extensive research is necessary before shipping such a package. If you attempt to ship such a package improperly, there could be serious repercussions. It’s best to check with the courier that you use to find out how they will handle these materials.

What Materials Are Considered Hazardous?

Are the contents of your package considered to be hazardous? It will obviously be important for you to know this before you ship your package. The following items are considered hazardous and will require special hazardous goods shipping procedures.

  • Firearms and firearm accessories such as ammunition, scopes, and other attachments.
  • Gasses such as butane and propane.
  • Combustible substances such as matches.
  • Any type of flammable material, whether liquid or solid. This includes inks and perfumes.

Items that are commonly shipped and are considered hazardous include paint, alcohol, adhesives, and cleaning products. If you work in the medical field, you should know that bodily fluids and medicines are considered hazardous. Obviously, any radioactive substance is also a hazardous material.

How Should You Package Be Handled?

The precise way that your package should be handled is an important consideration. Not all hazardous goods are handled in exactly the same manner. There are different classifications of hazardous materials, and it’s important that your items be labeled correctly. For example, a nail polish is considered to be a hazardous material, but it would fall into a different class than a radioactive item. It’s very important that your item be labeled and handled appropriately. If it is not labeled properly and this is discovered by the country or state receiving the item, you could face hefty fines. In addition to proper labeling, there will be other documentation required. Again, this is done in order to keep delivery personnel, as well as occupants of the country or state safe. A combustible material could damage an aircraft and bring harm to many people.

The best way to ensure that things are handled appropriately would be to hire a courier to help you in handling the package. They will assist you in determining what category your materials fall into and in completing the appropriate documents. Take great care to make sure that these matters are handled appropriately. This will help you avoid fines, and also ensure that your package reaches its destination without any problems.

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