Anytime you want to ship dangerous goods by air, you should fill in the proper documents required by the airline. These are the shipper declaration for dangerous goods on the airway bill. This will provide important information to the aircraft operator, and it is constant throughout the transport sector. 

A safety data sheet or SDS refers to a document that has occupational health and safety data. Chemical manufacturers must reveal and communicate any hazard information to handlers by providing an SDS. It contains safety measures and precautions for handling, storing, and transportation of the chemicals. Other information that the SDS provides is the health and environmental hazards of the chemical. 

The globally harmonized system has now developed a guideline so that the hazardous materials are safe. This means that they ensure safe handling, disposal, manufacturing, transport, and use of the materials to protect other people and the environment. 

 

The SDS sheet and format

In the SDS database, sixteen sections need to appear to gather enough information on the materials. They are categorized simply into three major sections:

  • Quick access to information about safe practices is required when handling dangerous goods. 
  • Scientific data, like stability, chemical properties, physical properties, and reactions. 
  • Information of the SDS, which is not mandatory in most cases, shows the changes on the system itself. 

This sheet must provide information on the manufacturers and the distributors, including a straightforward way to communicate with them if there is a need. 

 

Employees access to SDS data.

The most common data are the computer-based SDS databases, which are binders that employees need to fulfill. The employees must have complete access to the SDS database to know how to handle DGs. 

Chemical safety is vital, and the database vendor needs to ensure that they update and index the safety data sheets. The employees from these sheets will know how to handle and transport any DG on board. These sheets are available online, making it easier for them to update and change anything they need to on the forms. An employee can obtain the most current database from the online platform. 

 

Dangerous goods declaration

The DGD serves the purpose of providing the carrier and the operator information about the goods they are about to carry. A DG statement must be part of the declaration on the air waybills according to the regulations of the international air transport association. Some of the material; are although exempt from the list because they are low risk, these are;

  • Carbon dioxide
  • Dry ice when it is used to refrigerate foods and goods that are not dangerous goods
  • Lithium-ion batteries
  • Genetically modified organisms
  • Magnetized material
  • Some radioactive packages

Apart from the excepted materials, the shipper needs to declare the consignment accurately. They must also fill the form correctly and provide accurate information on it.  Apart from that, they must prepare the shipment according to the requirements of the dangerous goods regulations.  If any of the information or requirements is not accurate or clear, the DG might not be transported to the required destination.