Hazardous goods are articles or substances that, when Stored, Packaged, and Transported, pose a danger to health, safety, property, or the environment. Additionally, they must be classified according to the risk criteria established by the United Nations Subcommittee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, or included in the list of hazardous goods.
In the Civil Aviation Worldwide for Commercial and Transport Operations, the transportation of Hazardous Materials (Goods) is regulated and closely monitored. At the international level, civil aviation authorities of contracting states use Annex 18 of the International Civil Aviation Organization as the parent document.
ICAO-Annex 18 provisions regulate the International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The general provisions of this Annex are supplemented with detailed specifications contained in the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Document 9284).
However, the obligation imposed by Article 38 of Document 7300 (Chicago Convention), under which contracting States are required to notify ICAO, still applies.
The transportation of hazardous materials in international civil aviation operations is subject to the regulations and methods outlined in Annex 18 and its amendments, as well as any differences between these regulations and national regulations. Contracting States are required to include in their notifications any differences from the recommended methods contained in Annex 18 and its amendments when such differences are deemed important for aviation safety.
Additionally, Contracting States are encouraged to keep the Organization duly informed of any subsequent differences or the elimination of previously notified differences. Each state is responsible for issuing regulations dedicated to the International Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air in accordance with Annex 18 and the technical instructions of Document 9284.
As a common practice, many commercial operators and airlines choose to adhere to the Dangerous Goods Regulation (DGR) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which is renewed annually and accepted by authorities as a compliance method for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.
In some cases, the transportation of hazardous materials is not an option but a necessity, especially for supplying remote communities with products that require air transport due to time sensitivity. In such instances, compliance with national and international regulations and instructions is imperative.
In summary, the most important aspects of these regulations include:
Training on “Safe Handling of Dangerous Goods” for all individuals directly or indirectly involved in the transportation of hazardous materials.
Establishment of procedures by Contracting States to investigate and collect data on accidents and incidents related to the transportation of hazardous materials, and the submission of reports in accordance with relevant detailed provisions contained in the Technical Instructions.
Obligations of the Shipper and the Operator, which dictate responsibilities from the moment hazardous goods are handed over for air transport until acceptance, segregation, transportation, or notification. Both the shipper and the operator must ensure that the air transport of these goods is not prohibited and that they are properly classified, packaged, marked, labeled, and accompanied by the corresponding duly formalized dangerous goods transportation document, as provided for in Annex 18 and the Technical Instructions.