ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
Hazardous Materials Shipping/Receiving Guide
(Revised: 11/22/06)
Shipping Hazardous Materials
Since 1990, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has regulated the transport of "hazardous materials" in all modes of transportation (air, ground and sea). Transportation of "dangerous goods" by air has been regulated by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) since 1956. The DOT and IATA regulations are intended to ensure that all who come in contact with a shipment of hazardous materials are properly informed of the hazards presented by the materials, and the measures necessary for their safe transport.
What are Hazardous Materials and Dangerous Goods?
Hazardous materials are substances or materials, which have been determined by the Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce. The term includes hazardous substances, hazardous wastes, marine pollutants, elevated temperature materials, materials designated as hazardous in the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT), and materials that meet the defining criteria for hazard classes and divisions in 49 CFR 173.
Dangerous goods are articles or substances which are capable of posing a significant risk to health, safety or property when transported by air. The transportation of these articles and substances is regulated under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. DOT and IATA regulations are similar, but are not always the same. For example, dry ice shipped via ground transportation is not regulated as a hazardous material; however, when shipped by air, dry ice is considered a dangerous good.
Hazardous materials and dangerous goods include items such as laboratory chemicals, radioactive materials, compressed gases, biological agents, dry ice (when shipped by air) and equipment or instruments that contain hazardous materials or dangerous goods. To comply with DOT and IATA regulations, these materials must be properly classified, packaged, labeled, documented and handled.
Florida Atlantic University Procedures For Offering Hazardous Materials for Shipment:
Following these procedures will help to ensure that your package will arrive at its destination on time and intact. More importantly, it will ensure that everyone involved in the transport of the material will know what it is and how to safely deliver it. The following procedures apply to all hazardous material/dangerous goods packages except radioactive materials. For assistance shipping radioactive materials call the Radiation Safety Officer (297-1052)
Note: Certain University employees may be authorized by EH&S to ship hazardous materials and/or dangerous goods provided they have successfully completed the training requirements specified in the DOT and IATA regulations (49 CRF172.700 and DGR 1.5 respectively). See "Training Requirements" below
EH&S normally utilizes one or more of the following suppliers of UN Performance-Oriented Packaging and labels:
Air Sea Atlanta
1234 Logans Circle
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 351-8600
Fax: (404) 351-4005
Sell packages for all types of hazardous materials.
Labelmaster
5724 N. Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60646-6797
Phone: (800) 621-5808
Fax: (800) 723-4327
Web Site: http://www.labelmaster.com
Sell packages for all types of hazardous materials.
Lab Safety Supply, Inc.
P.O. Box 1368
Janesville, WS 53547-1368
Phone: (800) 356-0783
Fax: (800) 543-9910
Web Site: http://www.labsafety.com
Sell packages for all types of hazardous materials.
Source Packaging of New England,
Inc.
405 Kilvert Street
Warwick, RI 02885
Phone: (401) 738-7733 or (800) 200-0366
Fax: (401) 738-7762
Specialize in packaging for shipment of infectious substances.
Commercial Carrier of Hazardous Materials:
Federal Express: National number - [800] Go Fedex
For Shipping Assistance, Contact:
Frank Woodard, Tom Bradley or Darlene Ward at EH&S 297-3129
Receiving Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials received at Florida Atlantic University via domestic carrier are regulated during transport by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). These materials have specific packaging and labeling requirements. All packages containing hazardous materials display a diamond shaped DOT label(s) that fall into one or more of 9 categories or hazard classes (refer to the DOT labels)
If your area receives any package displaying these types of labels, the following procedures should be followed:
US Postal Service Suspicious Package Guidelines
The following link refers to information about suspicious packages that may arrive through the mail or other parcel delivery services.
