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An operator (airline) has several responsibilities related to the international hazmat shipping by air - or its Ground Handling Agent (GHA)- such as acceptance, storage, checking, loading, and the reporting of the loaded dangerous goods packages to the “Pilot in Command”.
At all times, the aircraft operators must comply with the regulations for dangerous goods and follow the correct procedures as mentioned in the current IATA dangerous goods regulations book.
In this article, I
am going to explain to you the aircraft operator (airline operator) dangerous
goods legal responsibilities.
Operator Responsibilities related to the carriage of Dangerous Goods
To ensure the safe
transport of dangerous goods by air, air operators must comply with the following
responsibilities contained in the current IATA DGR :
1. Acceptance of Dangerous Goods
Aircraft operator’s Cargo acceptance staff must be adequately trained- IATA DGR Cat.6- to identify and detect dangerous goods.
For example, the Cargo acceptance staff shall not accept dangerous goods for transport by air:
a) unless the dangerous goods are accompanied by a completed dangerous goods transport document, except where the current IATA DGR indicate that such a document is not required; and
b) Until the package, overpack, or freight container containing
the dangerous goods has been accepted per the acceptance procedures contained
in the current IATA DGR.
An acceptance checklist is used as an aid to compliance with the acceptance
of dangerous goods (current IATA DGR).
2.
Storage of Dangerous Goods
An air operator should provide safe and secured dangerous goods
storage to keep dangerous goods packages safe before to loading and after
unloading from the aircraft.
3.
Loading of Dangerous Goods
Aircraft operator’s Cargo loading or Aircraft
operator’s contracted ground handling agent’s staff shall apply the loading procedure
of Dangerous Goods include segregation, stowage, and securing of Dangerous
Goods onboard the aircraft.
e.g.
- Packages of
dangerous goods bearing the “Cargo aircraft only” label shall be loaded in Cargo
aircraft only, not to be loaded in passenger aircraft.
- Liquid dangerous
goods must be stowed upright. Packages bearing orientation arrows must be
stowed following the arrows. For single packaging, closures must be upright.
I will give you a further explanation
regarding Segregation and securing responsibility of the aircraft operator.
A- Segregation, Stowage
Dangerous Goods Packages
containing dangerous goods which might react dangerously one with another shall
not bestowed on an aircraft next to each other or in a position that would
allow interaction between them in the event of leakage.
e.g.
1- Dangerous Goods Class 3 packages must
be segregated from Dangerous Goods Class 5, Division 1 Oxidizer Substances.
2- Dangerous Goods Packages of radioactive materials shall bestowed on an aircraft so that they are separated from
Persons, passengers, live animals, and undeveloped film, per the provisions in
the current IATA DGR.
B- Securing of Dangerous Goods on Board the Aircraft.
This includes protecting the dangerous goods from being damaged
and securing such goods in the aircraft in such a manner that will prevent any
movement in flight that would change the orientation of the packages.
4.
Inspecting Dangerous Goods packages
Dangerous goods packages and overpacks and freight containers
containing radioactive materials shall be inspected for evidence of leakage or
damage before loading on an aircraft or into a unit load device.
Leaking or damaged packages, overpacks, or freight containers
shall not be loaded on an aircraft.
5.
Provision
of Information
Providing passengers and crew with Dangerous Goods information
(including emergency response information to train the crew to handle Dangerous
Goods incidents and accidents)
In more details, the aircraft operator shall:
A- Provide Information to pilot-in-command
The aircraft operator in which dangerous goods are to be carried
shall provide the pilot-in-command as early as practicable before departure of
the aircraft with written information (NOTOC).
If an in-flight emergency occurs the pilot-in-command will inform the appropriate air traffic services unit, for the information of aerodrome authorities, of any dangerous goods on board by referring to written information (NOTOC).
The information includes the proper shipping names, class,
subsidiary risks for which labels are required, the compatibility group for DG Class 1, and the quantity and location aboard the aircraft of the dangerous
goods.
B- Information and instructions to flight crew members
The aircraft operator shall provide such information in the Operations Manual as will enable the flight crew to carry out their responsibilities about the transport of dangerous goods.
Furthermore, aircraft operators
shall provide instructions as to the action to be taken in the event of
emergencies arising involving dangerous goods.
C- Information to passengers
Aircraft Operator shall ensure that information is promulgated in
such a manner that passengers are warned as to the types of goods which they
are forbidden from transporting aboard an aircraft as checked baggage or
carry-on articles.
Note: Passengers can carry dangerous
goods items permitted by the provisions of the current IATA DGR table 2.3A.
D- Information to other persons
The Aircraft Operators shall provide such information to their
personnel involved in handling and loading of dangerous goods to enable them to
carry out their responsibilities about the transport of dangerous goods and
shall provide instructions as to the action to be taken in the event of
emergencies arising involving dangerous goods.
6.
Reporting
Dangerous Goods incidents and accidents
In the event of an aircraft accident or incident, the aircraft
operator must inform the State in which the aircraft incidents and accidents
occurred and to the CAA of aircraft of the registry.
7.
Retention
of Dangerous Goods documentation records
The aircraft operator must ensure that at least one copy of the
documents appropriate to the transport by air of a consignment of dangerous
goods is retained for a minimum period of three months after the flight on
which the dangerous goods were transported.
As a minimum, the documents which must be retained are the
dangerous goods transport documents, the shipper declaration of dangerous goods,
the acceptance checklist (when this is in a form that requires physical
completion), and the written information to the pilot-in-command.
Note.— Where the documents are kept
electronically or in a computer system, they should be capable of being
reproduced in a printed manner.
8.
Training of
employees
The aircraft operator must provide initial and recurrent dangerous
goods training for its personnel. The training must cover the requirements
commensurate with their responsibilities. Such training shall include:
a) general familiarization training.
b) Function specific training; and
c) Safety training
Summary
An aircraft operator has several responsibilities related to the carriage of dangerous goods by air such as acceptance, storage, loading, inspecting dangerous goods packages, provision of information, reporting dangerous goods incidents and accidents, retention of dangerous goods documentation records, and training of employees.