Transporting dangerous goods in a shipping container entails unwavering adherence to safety measures. Before that, a comprehensive study of the safety protocols is vital.

Dangerous goods are those goods which pose significant risks to the health and safety of people, property or environment. Today, a staggering range of dangerous goods in shipping containers are transported daily. Indeed, global commerce depends on it like never before. In the backdrop of extensive trades, the authorities have come up with a minute categorisation of dangerous goods.

The Nine Categories of Dangerous Goods

The nine types of dangerous goods include explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidising agents, toxic materials, radioactive substances, corrosives and miscellaneous goods.

It is vital to keep in mind that each category has been given its distinctive label for easy identification. No shipping container handler should be ignorant of such labels. For further information, you may consult the detailed Material Safety Data Sheet.

Are you accompanying an MSDS document?

According to the guidelines laid by the authorities, all dangerous goods must be accompanied by an MSDS document. The document is an elaboration of the international standards and provisions.

It consists of such categories as a hazardous class, composition of individual goods, first-aid and fire-fighting measures, handling aid, reactivity and ecological considerations of goods. All dangerous goods in shipping containers must adhere to each provision, keeping in mind the stakes involved.

Each MSDS document consists of your UN number. The UN number is a four-digit number which identifies dangerous goods and similar articles in the context of international transport guidelines.

Does the packing comply with class needs?

Packaging plays a defining role in determining whether or not a shipping container is safe for transport. While packaging, one must adhere to the proper labels according to the cargo.

Keep in mind that each UN number and dangerous class has its distinctive packaging requisites. Apart from that, the type of packaging depends on the quantity of cargo in each shipping container.

Finally, you need to submit a dangerous goods declaration form known as M041. Upon completion of the declaration, you need to review the same with the concerned local forwarder.

Conclusion

As mentioned at the outset, more than half of global commerce depends on shipping dangerous goods. Therefore, it is singularly vital to stick to the safety protocols; however complex they seem.