FedEx FX-18 Operator Variation for Dangerous Goods Declarations Effective January 10, 2011

The 52nd edition of IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for 2011 introduces a new operator variation FX-18 from Federal Express® that will require all shipper's declarations (dangerous goods declarations) to be prepared using specific methods.

FX-18 reads as the following:

Beginning January 10, 2011, FedEx Express will require all Shipper's Declarations originating in the U.S., excluding all 023 air waybill shipments, to be prepared using only the following methods:

(a) FedEx approved vendor software application;
(b) preapproved shipper proprietary software; or
(c) FedEx Express Automated Shipping Solutions that have dangerous goods error checks.

Note:
A list of approved DG Shipping application vendors can be reviewed at www.fedex.com/us; dangerous goods (keyword). Shipper declaration "templates" from FedEx Express will no longer be accepted.

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods is listed as an approved vendor for software applications by FedEx.

Our ShipHazmat software and web application generates compliant dangerous goods declarations and packaging using built-in regulatory logic, improving your business' work flow by

• standardizing the interpretation of regulatory guidelines for air transport,
• eliminating the need for templates and typewriters, and
• reducing the timely risk and cost of rejected shipments.

We offer annual subscriptions and one-time usage plans for occasional shippers.

All Bureau of Dangerous Goods software includes our friendly and American-based technical support system featuring live representatives on the phone or via e-mail.

New Emergency Response Information From PHMSA Effective October 1, 2010 - HM-206F

Emergency Response Information

There is a new rule effective on October 1, 2010, concerning emergency response information on hazardous materials shipping papers for USA territorial purposes (into, out of or through USA).

Summary

In this final rule, PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) is amending the Hazardous Materials Regulations to clarify requirements governing emergency response information services provided by arrangement with hazardous materials offerors (shippers). In order to preserve the effectiveness of these arrangements for providing accurate and timely emergency response information, PHMSA is requiring basic identifying information (offeror name or contract number) to be included on shipping papers. This information will enable the emergency response information provider to identify the offeror on whose behalf it is accepting responsibility for providing emergency response information in the event of a hazardous materials incident and obtain additional information about the hazardous material as needed.

Comments

This rule primarily effects shippers by all modes of transporation. If the person responsible for the emergency response information is other than the person listed on the shipping paper (e.g. a third party company like Chemtrec or Chemtel who provides the emergency response information), then the responsible person name or contract number must appear on the shipping as well.

This would appear normally in the Additional Handling block of the Air Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods under the telephone number. On a Bill of Lading (BOL), this additional information must appear where it will be readily identified from other information under the telephone number. On a Vessel Shippers Declaration Form, it will normally appear in the Additional Handling block under the telephone number or in a prominent, readily identifiable, and clearly visible manner that allows the information to be easily and quickly found.

Most carriers (airlines, truck companies, vessel operators) will not have the ability to know when this requirement is to be present on shipping papers. Only the shipper (offeror) will know when this information is required, unless the shipper volunteers the fact on shipping papers that a third party, such as Chemtrec or Chemtel is the emergency response information provider (ERIP). Therefore, in most cases, airlines, trucking companies, and vessel operators will take the emergency response information with or without the "Registered Name or Contract Number" being reflected.

Please use this hyperlink for the full rule HM-206F.

IATA releases significant changes to be made for the 51st Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations manual for the 2010 year

IATA has recently released a list of significant changes to be made within the 51st Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations manual, applicable for the 2010 year.

To read the list of these changes, use the following link below:

http://www.bureaudg.com/brochures/IATA-51ST-SIGNIFICANT.pdf

PHMSA Releases 2008 Enforcement Notice for Hazmat Fines and Penalties; Don't Be Caught With Undeclared Hazmat or Without Hazmat Training!

Receiving fines and penalties for improperly declaring hazardous materials (or failure to declare hazmat at all) can unnecessarily drive up the cost of doing business. It can even put you out of business!

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a division of the U.S. DOT, has published its Enforcement Notice for 2008 regarding fines and penalties incurred on businesses for failing to comply with hazmat regulations.

During the 2008 calendar year, PHMSA has closed 130 cases of Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) violations and served $1,135,256.81 in fines for hazmat compliance failure.

To read the full report on PHMSA's website, click on the link below:

PHMSA 2008 Enforcement Notice

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Avoid Having Your Business Listed on the 2009 PHMSA Enforcement Notice

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. provides hazmat training and hazmat software to help your business maintain regulatory compliance within the United States and internationally around the world.

We have also recently introduced Hazmat University, our online platform for delivering online hazmat training globally as an efficient means of maintaining regulatory compliance for initial and recurrent training requirements.

Hazmat University features instant enrollment, self-paced learning, reduced tuition costs compared to traditional instructor-led, classroom training programs, and free technical support!

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Bureau News and Updates

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. is now on Facebook! Become a fan of our Facebook page and receive up to the minute hazmat alerts, news, special promotions, and sneak peeks at the latest innovations being developed!

Check out the Bureau of Dangerous Goods on Facebook!

Lithium battery guidance document, version 3, released by IATA for safely transporting lithium batteries by aircraft

This document is based on the provisions set out in the 2009/2010 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instruction for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air and the 50th Edition (2009) of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for complying with provisions applicable to the transport by air of lithium batteries that take effect from 1 January 2009 as set out in the DGR. Specifically the document provides information on:

• Definitions
• Classification
• Exceptions
• Special provisions
• Packaging provisions for lithium batteries
• Prohibitions
• Passenger provisions

To read this article, click on the following link below:
IATA Lithium Battery Guidance Document, Version 3

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods provides global hazmat training and hazmat software solutions with the vision of promoting the safe transportation of hazardous materials and dangerous goods around the world. We offer initial and recurrent hazmat training courses for IATA regulations in classroom, instructor-led training, and now also IATA online hazmat training through Hazmat University.

Hazmat Safety Awareness Tip: The Overlooked Marking Requirement for Shipping Hazardous Materials

Are you missing something important?

Packaging is the foremost element of all shippers' responsibilities in the safe transportation of hazmat and dangerous goods. This is particularly true when it comes to shipping hazmat by air. Packages that travel by air are subjected to a variety of conditions that are usually more severe than other modes of transport. Some of these conditions include drastic temperature changes, intense vibration and extreme drops in atmospheric pressure. Reductions in pressure tend to cause leakage of liquids or even bursting of the packagings during flight!

So what does this have to do with marking requirements? Well, remembering that the intent of safe hazmat shipping is to ensure that a hazardous material is not released during transport, a shipper must not use packaging for air shipments unless that packaging meets the applicable testing requirements and is closed in a way that ensures resistance to pressure changes throughout the transportation cycle.

Most shippers of hazmat purchase UN standard packagings (e.g. packagings which conform to both the UN Model Regulations and the HMR) for this purpose. These performance-oriented packagings require the application of UN Specification Markings. Normally applied by the packaging manufacturer, these marks are still ultimately the responsibility of the shipper.

Trained hazardous materials shippers are aware of the significance of the UN specification mark, but often overlook the following component:

If your business uses single packagings (e.g. drums, jerricans, etc.) to ship liquid hazmat or dangerous goods by air, a single packaging must have a marked test pressure of not less than...

- 250 kPa for liquids in Packing Group I,
- 80 kPa for liquids in Packing Group III of Class 3 or Division 6.1, and
- 100 kPa for other liquids, or
- a pressure related to the vapor pressure of the liquid to be conveyed, whichever is greater (see reference 49 CFR 173.27(c) and IATA DGR 5.0.2.14 and DGR 6.3.5).

To learn more about a shipper's legal responsibilities for shipping hazmat, UN packaging, hazmat marking requirements and more, the Bureau of Dangerous Goods offers several hazmat training courses for both novices and veterans.

We are also proud to introduce Hazmat University, a completely online hazmat training program designed to bring the same quality of Bureau of Dangerous Goods training that has been provided in classrooms for over 25 years to shippers, freight forwarders and carriers via the Internet.

ShipHazmat Summer of Safety Awareness Sale begins July 13, 2009 through September 4, 2009

We here, at the Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd., believe that the only way to ship hazmat is to ship it safely. You could be a freight forwarder or shipper of hazardous materials from a chemical or pharmaceutical company, a hospital or medical facility, diesel or gasoline fuel transporter, an automobile manufacturing plant, or a lithium battery distributor. The safe transportation of dangerous goods and hazmat is our primary concern.

To help you achieve and maintain safety, ShipHazmat.NET is proud to present its first annual Summer of Safety Awareness sale!

From Monday, July 13, 2009 through Friday, September 4, 2009, all new and existing Per-Click account users will enjoy our $6.95 summer special!

What that basically means is you only pay $6.95 per each proper shipping name (UN number) added to a completed dangerous goods shipper's declaration form. This is an unprecedented 54% savings for each credit purchased!

In addition, we will be releasing a series of informative blog entries and reference guides regarding the safe transportation of dangerous goods and some helpful hints to proper dangerous goods declaration form data entry.

To get started, simply visit ShipHazmat.NET, create a new account or log into your existing account, purchase your credits as needed and begin creating fully compliant dangerous goods declaration forms for shipping hazmat by aircraft.

To kick off our summer of safety awareness, here is your first safety tip:

Software and Internet applications like ShipHazmat.NET are not meant to be a substitute or replace trained and certified hazmat employees in any business or working environment. While ShipHazmat.NET helps to exponentially simplify the declaration form filling process with its built-in regulatory logic, hazmat employees should always abide by domestic and international regulatory requirements for hazmat training.

The Bureau of Dangerous Goods, Ltd. provides on-site, classroom and now ONLINE hazmat training (via HazmatUniversity.com) to help hazmat employees meet those training requirements and comply with regulatory law.

Look for more safety tips and helpful hints in the following days to come!