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Air transport of dangerous goods

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Introduction
Background
Regulations
Limitations
Classification
Class 1: Explosives
Class 2: Gases
Class 3: Flammable liquids
Class 5: Oxidisers
Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances
Class 7: Radioactive material
Identification
Fig. 1 List of Dangerous Goods
Packing
Fig. 2 Packing Instruction
Packaging
Marking and labelling
Documentation
Fig. 3 Shippers Declaration
Fig. 4 Example of a NOTOC:
Handling and loading
Table 1 Class compatibility
Table 2 Separation chart
Table 3 Compatibility Chart
Table 4 Separation distances for radioactive substances
Emergency and contamination
Dangerous Goods Emergency Chart
Dangerous goods in passenger baggage
Provisions for Dangerous Goods
Carried by Passengers or Crew
Radioactive materials
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Background
In the early 1950’s, a growing demand was found for transporting hazardous materials and
substances by air. Experience from other forms of transportation had shown that, handled
correctly, this could be done without risk so long as the goods are suitably packaged and in
limited quantities. These experiences, in conjunction with the aviation communities’
knowledge of the characteristics of air transport, resulted in the first industrial regulations on
the safe transportation of dangerous goods. Today we know these regulations as IATA
Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR). These regulations are however, based on the
requirements of Annexe 18 of the Chicago Convention and the subsequent editions of ICAO
Technical Instructions (ICAO TI) which are the legal documents relating to air transport of
dangerous goods. IATA DGR applies to IATA member airlines, associate members and
interline partners so, unless operating as such, ICAO TI is the document to comply with.

The “core” of all regulations on transporting dangerous goods is the list of hazardous
materials and substances as recommended by the United Nations “Committee of Experts” and
the “International Atomic Energy Agency”. This list consists of more than 3000 entries
describing the hazards and how they are to be handled. Each entry has been assigned a
number known as the “UN number” as a form of universal index.
As in all potentially hazardous activities, awareness is the key to maintaining safety. In May
1996, the world sadly saw the tragic consequences of insufficient awareness when a DC-9
from ValueJet crashed in the Florida Everglades after hazardous materials had caused a severe
fire on-board. Generally, regulations tend to require relevant training of all staff, ground or
airborne, who may encounter dangerous goods with recurrent training every two years.
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Regulations
The regulations to be adhered to are the previously mentioned ICAO TI and IATA DGR, as
applicable, and JAR OPS 1/3 subpart R and various state regulations.
State regulations generally do not address specific handling requirements of the various
substances that may be hazardous, referring only to ICAO TI in those respects. They do
however, regulate operational requirements and limitations.
In this document, I mainly refer to IATA DGR and JAR OPS, with some references to
Norwegian state regulations. IATA DGR contain all of the requirements of ICAO TI with
additional requirements that are more restrictive and reflect industry standards or operational
requirements of IATA members. Where ICAO TI concerns ICAO member states and
consequently includes state variations, IATA DGR also lists operator variations. For instance,
some operators such as Swissair and Cathay Pacific do not accept Gallium for transport as it
has a severely detrimental effect on aluminium.
Dangerous goods is defined as articles or substances which are capable of posing a significant
risk to health, safety or to property when transported by air.
When we discuss dangerous goods in this context, we generally mean cargo, as dangerous
goods are prohibited in passenger baggage, with a few exceptions. Hazardous substances in
passenger baggage can however, pose a greater threat to air safety than cargo as they may
easily find their way onto an aircraft unnoticed. The travelling public cannot be expected to
have the knowledge of the characteristics of air transport that professionals in the industry
have, or even of the potential dangers of articles they carry in their baggage. Therefore, it is
the responsibility of all staff involved in passenger and dead-load handling, as well as
aircrews, to be vigilant to signs of potential hazards. The operator have the final responsibility
to make sure the passengers and or client is informed and aware of regulations and technical
instructions. In our operation the aircrew will do this by using the list of goods on page 24.
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Limitations
Articles and substances classified as dangerous goods have various limitations imposed on
then depending on how dangerous they are. Some goods are considered too hazardous to
transport by air while others may be limited to transport on cargo aircraft only and some may
be acceptable on both cargo and passenger aircraft. Certain dangerous goods normally not
acceptable for transport by air may be transported under exemption by the state of origin, the
state of destination and all states to be over-flown.

Dangerous goods forbidden in aircraft under any circumstances:

• Explosives which ignite or decompose when subjected to a temperature of 75ºC
(167ºF) for 48 hours.
• Explosives containing both chlorates and ammonium salts.
• Explosives containing mixtures of chlorates with phosphorous.
• Solid explosives which are described as extremely sensitive to mechanical shock
• Liquid explosives which are described as moderately sensitive to mechanical shock.
• Any article or substance, as presented for transport, which is liable to produce a
dangerous evolution of heat or gas under the conditions normally encountered in air
transport.
• Flammable solids and organic peroxides having, as tested, explosive properties and
which are packed in such a way that the classification procedure would require the use
of an explosives label as a subsidiary risk label.

The dangerous goods listed in table 2.1A of IATA DGR (this is a long list and therefore not
reproduced here).

Dangerous goods forbidden unless exempted:

1. Radioactive material which is:

• in vented type B(M) packages
• in packages which require external cooling by an ancillary cooling system
• in packages subject to operational controls during transport
2. explosive
3. a pyrophoric liquid.
4. Unless otherwise provided, articles and substances (including those described as “not
otherwise specified”) which are identified in the List of Dangerous Goods as being
forbidden.
5. Infected live animals.
6. Liquids having a vapour inhalation toxicity which requires Packing Group I
packaging.
7. Substances that are offered for transport in a liquid state at temperatures equal to or
exceeding 100ºC (212ºF), or in a solid state at temperatures equal to or exceeding
240ºC (464ºF).
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Limitations on dangerous goods acceptable for air transport are to be found in the lists based
on the recommendations of the Committee of Experts in IATA DGR or ICAO TI.
A permanent approval is required in order for an operator to be allowed to carry dangerous
goods with the exception of four instances.

These are:
1. Articles and substances required for the airworthiness of the aircraft.
2. Catering or cabin service supplies.
3. Veterinary aids or humane killers for animals.
4. Medical aids for a patient.

Under 1), we find such things as oxygen and fire extinguishers. Point 2) includes such things
as dry ice and alcohol (whiskey is classified as dangerous goods). There are many articles
which fall under 4), the most common being oxygen or compressed air and electric
wheelchairs.

The Universal Postal Union prohibits all dangerous goods in airmail with two exceptions.
• Infectious substances may be accepted, provided the consignment is accompanied
by a “Shippers Declaration” and it may be refrigerated with dry ice.
• Radioactive material may also be accepted if it has very low activity.

Very small quantities of dangerous goods may be transported in such a manner that they may
be excepted from the marking, labelling and documentation requirements. This is known as
“Dangerous goods in Excepted Quantities” and is only applicable to goods acceptable on
passenger aircraft. The following provisions must also be met:
Substances of division 2.2 without a subsidiary risk.
Substances of class 3, all packing groups.
Substances of class 4, packing groups II and III but excluding all self-reactive substances.
Substances of division 5.1, packing groups II and III.
Substances of division 5.2, only when contained in a chemical kit or first aid kit.
Substances of division 6.1, all substances in this division, except those having an inhalation
toxicity requiring packing group I.
Substances of class 8, packing groups II and III but excluding Gallium and Mercury.
Substances and articles of class 9, other than magnetised material
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The concept “excepted quantities” can not be applied to passenger baggage or airmail. There
is also an extensive list of goods not acceptable as cargo in excepted quantities. I have not
included this list here because it basically lists the opposites of the above list.
When we speak of “very small quantities” we are dealing with, for instance, 1g or 1mL for
solids or liquids of packing groups I or II in division 6.1 or requiring a subsidiary toxic label,
or 30g or 30mL for other substances. For non-flammable gases with no subsidiary risk we are
limited to receptacles with a water capacity of 30mL.
The combination of packages in an outer package allows, with a few exceptions:
Packing group I – 300g or 300mL.
Packing group II – 500g or 500mL.
Packing group III – 1L or 1kg.
Always refer to ICAO TI or IATA DGR for details.

Though excepted quantities do not require the regular labelling of dangerous goods they do
require labels stating that they are “Dangerous Goods in Excepted Quantities” stating class
and UN-number of the contents. When packing these goods it is not necessary to use the
approved packages normally required for dangerous goods. It is sufficient to use “good
quality” packaging according to the specifications in the regulations. For inner packaging,
they should be constructed of plastic, glass, earthenware or metal.

The regulations also allow for “Dangerous Goods in Limited quantities”. All this means is
that some forms of dangerous goods may be packed in simpler, though good quality, packages
if the quantity is less than a given amount. I have not provided a list of substances allowed in
limited quantities here because, though it is not long it is fairly detailed. These goods still
need to be marked, labelled and documented as dangerous goods.
The net amount allowed as limited quantities is specified in the List of Dangerous Goods
along with packing requirements. The gross weight of a limited quantity package must
however, not exceed 30kg.
I will clarify the difference under the section “Identification”.
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Classification
Dangerous goods are divided into nine classes depending on the type of hazard they pose,
while the three packing groups relate to the degree of hazard. Some classes are divided into
divisions as there may be several types of substances with the same type of hazard. Gases, for
instance, can be toxic, flammable or non-toxic and non-flammable.

Class 1: Explosives
Explosives are defined as:
• Explosive substances except those whose predominant hazard should be in another
class.
• Explosive articles, except devices containing explosive substances in such a limited
quantity or of such a character that their inadvertent or accidental ignition or initiation,
during transport, will not cause any manifestation of projection, fire, heat, smoke or
loud noise external to the device.
• Other articles or substances which are manufactured with a view to producing a
practical explosive or pyrotechnic effect.

Division 1.1 Explosives having a mass explosion hazard.

Division 1.2 Explosives having a projection hazard but not a mass

explosion hazard

Division 1.3 Explosives having a fire hazard, a minor blast

hazard and/or a minor projection hazard but not a mass
explosion hazard.
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Division 1.4 Explosives presenting no significant hazard.

NOTE: Class 1.4S is the only explosive acceptable on passenger aircraft.

Division 1.5 Very insensitive substances having

a mass explosion hazard.

Division 1.6 Extremely insensitive substances that do not

have a mass explosion hazard.
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Class 2: Gases

In this class, we find compressed and liquefied gases, and refrigerated liquefied gases. Also
gases in solution, mixtures of gases and mixtures of gases with vapours of other substances.
Articles charged with a gas and aerosols also belong here.

Division 2.1 Flammable gas.

Division 2.2 Non-flammable, non-toxic gas.

Division 2.3 Toxic gas.

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Class 3: Flammable liquids

This class has no divisions. It comprises liquids, mixtures of liquids and
liquids containing solids in solution or suspension, which give of
a flammable vapour.

Class 4: Flammable solids

This class has no divisions. It comprises liquids, mixtures of liquids
and liquids containing solids in solution or suspension, which give
of a flammable vapour.

Division 4.1 Flammable solids.

Division 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion.

Division 4.3 Substances that, in contact with water emit flammable gases.

Class 5: Oxidisers
Oxidisers are substances which, though not necessarily combustible in themselves, may cause
or contribute to combustion in other materials.

Division 5.1 Oxidiser.

Division 5.2 Organic peroxides.

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Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances

This class includes substances which are liable to cause death, injury or to harm human health
if they are swallowed or inhaled, or by skin contact.

Division 6.1 Toxic substances.

Division 6.2 Infectious substances.

Class 7: Radioactive material

This class has no divisions but is possibly the one that there is the most to be said about.
Therefore, I have devoted an entire section to this class alone. For the purpose of regulations,
a radioactive material is any substance with a specific activity greater than 70 kBq/kg.

Class 8: Corrosives
This class has no divisions. It comprises substances that can cause severe damage by chemical
action when in contact with living tissue, other materials or the aircraft.
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Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous goods

This class covers all articles and substances that are not covered by other classes, and includes
magnetic material. Some examples are:
Asbestos
Carbon dioxide, solid (dry ice)
Environmentally hazardous substances
Life-saving appliances
Internal combustion engines
Polymeric beads RMD RSB ICE
Battery powered equipment or vehicles
…and many others

Subsidiary risk labels

Some hazardous substances may have properties that would place them
in more than one class or division. Such substances must carry a label
showing the subsidiary hazard as well as the primary hazard.
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Handling labels for dangerous goods

Labels with arrows indicate that the package must be secured with the indicated direction
upwards.
CAO indicates that the package may only be loaded on cargo aircraft.
Explosives are also assigned to compatibility groups indicated by the letters A to S. A
division of explosives may belong to several compatibility groups and each compatibility
group can cover several divisions of explosives.
There are three packing groups indicating the degree of hazard a substance or article may
present.

Packing group I – great danger.

Packing group II – medium danger.
Packing group III – minor danger.

Most substances have been assigned a packing group based on technical criteria, some
however have been assigned based on experience. It is the Shipper’s responsibility to ensure
that an article or substance is identified and classified correctly and that it is packed in
compliance with the relevant regulations. The operator must comply with the requirements for
acceptance, storage, loading, inspection, provision of information, emergency response,
retention of records and training. The crew will use the checklist issued by IATA to carry out
an acceptance check on Dangerous Goods. This checklist is enclosed in this compendium as
an annex.
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Identification
In order to make life a little easier for those of us, who are not well versed in chemistry or
nuclear physics, dangerous goods are assigned what is known as a “proper shipping name
n.o.s.” (not otherwise specified). In many cases, it can be impractical or of little value to show
a long and complicated name on an air waybill or NOTOC, then it is more useful to use the
generic or n.o.s. proper shipping name.

An example listed in IATA DGR is methyl-n-amyl carbinol. This is an alcohol with a

flashpoint of 54ºC and is not listed by name. As the scientific name is meaningless to most
pilots and cargo handlers, the proper shipping name is more relevant. The most descriptive
name is “Alcohol n.o.s.” which is what we will find on all the documentation. It is however,
good practice and encouraged, to add the full name in parenthesis on the documentation.

For the same purpose, we also use the UN identification numbers as assigned by the
“Committee of Experts”. By using these numbers for cross-reference all qualified personnel
can easily identify the goods and its’ associated hazards. In an emergency, it can be a clear
and concise way of informing rescue teams of what they will encounter.

Let us look at another example to illustrate all the strange new vocabulary.

We want to send two shipments that may be dangerous goods.

One is a very large bottle of whiskey and the other is a bottle of Strohrum. The volume of our
whiskey bottle is 5 litres and the alcohol content is 43% by volume. The Strohrum is also 5
litres but 80% alcohol. When we look in section 4 of IATA DGR, we find the following
entries in the list of dangerous goods:

Fig. 1 List of Dangerous Goods

UN/ Proper shipping Clas Sub Hazard PG Passenger and S.P.

ID Name/Description s or Risk Label(s) Cargo aircraft See
No. Div. Ltd. Qty 4.4
Pkg Max Pkg Max
Inst. Qty Inst. Qty
per Pkg per Pkg

3065 Alcoholic beverages, 3 Flamm. III Y309 10L 309 60L A9

Containing 70% or less but more than 24% of Liquid A58
alcohol by volume, in receptacles, each having
capacities of 5 litres or more.
Alcoholic beverages,
3065 Containing more than 70% alcohol by volume. 3 Flamm. II Y305 1L 305 5L
Liquid
NOTE: I have left out the columns covering “Cargo aircraft only” for lack of space.
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Since our bottle of whiskey is only 5L, it can be shipped as “Limited quantity” as this allows
up to 10L. It must be packed according to packing instruction Y309 which is somewhat
simpler than that required for receptacles of more than 10L. Although we can send it as
“Limited quantity” it still needs all the labels and documentation required for dangerous
goods. Receptacles of less than 5L are not restricted at all. “Excepted quantities” is not
applicable since these are limited to 1L in the case of flammable liquids.

Our bottle of Strohrum, on the other hand, is too much for “Limited quantities” and so needs
the full treatment. If it had been 1L or less we could send it as “Limited quantities”.

If we were sending only 30mL of Strohrum we could send it as “Excepted quantities” in

which case our package would not need to be labelled as “Flammable liquid” or documented
as dangerous goods. It would only require an “Excepted quantities” label.

We will return to these two examples further on.

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Packing
The packing of dangerous goods is almost a science in itself. To begin with, we will discuss
the various ways of packing and shipping cargo. There is, of course, the simple package
containing the dangerous substance and nothing else. But then life is seldom so simple.

If the dangerous substance or article is not alone in the package, we have what is known as an
outer package. The package may be grouped together with other packages in an overpack or it
may be loaded together with other cargo in a container or ULD (Unit Load Device). All these
different ways of packing imply different conditions that need to be addressed in marking,
separation and loading.

A primary concern is to ensure that different forms of dangerous goods are kept apart if they
do not agree with one another. Some forms of explosives, for instance, should not be loaded
or packed together.

When we looked at our examples, above, we saw references to packing instructions. These are
comprehensive instructions on how the substance or article must be packed, including the
materials to be used in the package and provisions for ventilation, shock absorption etc.

Our bottle of whiskey, shipped as “Limited quantities”, refers to packing instruction Y309.
This instruction tells us, to begin with, that if the bottle is made of glass it is too big. If we use
glass, we are only allowed to have 2.5L in each package. Plastic and metal receptacles may
contain 5L. We also find that our whiskey must be packed in a sturdy outer package with
sufficient cushioning and absorbent material to prevent movement and leakage. The table
below is a partial replication from packing instruction Y309.

COMBINATION PACKAGINGS

INNER PACKAGINGS

Desc. Glass, Earthenware Plastic Metal (not aluminium) Aluminium Glass ampoule
(IP1) (IP2) (IP3) (IP3A) (IP8)

Maximum 2.5L 5.0L 5.0L 5.0L 0.5L

Quantity

OUTER PACKAGINGS

Type Drums Jerrycans Boxes

Reconsti
Desc Steel Alumi- Ply- Fibre Plastic Steel Alumi- Plas- Steel Alumi- Wood Ply- tuted Fibre Plast
nium wood Nium tic nium wood Wood board ic

Fig. 2 Packing Instruction

.
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In this table we can see that there are a number of outer packagings to choose from.
The Strohrum must be packed according to packing instruction 305 which has a table similar
to the one above with a few differences. Glass and earthenware is limited to 1L and the outer
packagings refer to specification codes. These codes are found in the regulations and give
fairly detailed descriptions on how the package is to be constructed and tested

Packaging
We have seen that the aspects to consider in handling dangerous goods are, mainly, the type
and degree of hazard. We also have to consider the particular properties of the substance or
article we are shipping. Flammables, for instance, have different flash points, toxins are
harmful in different ways (inhaling, skin contact etc.) and explosives can be ignited in
different ways.

All these aspects are important to consider when selecting a suitable package but they are not
quite enough. The conditions under which the package is going to be handled are also a factor
as well as, possibly, storage in transit and conditions at the destination. Some countries and
airlines also deviate from the regulations in their requirements.

Dangerous goods must always be transported in approved packages unless they are acceptable
in “Excepted quantities” or “Limited quantities”, or if they are not restricted. Approved
packages are recognised by the UN mark.

This mark is always followed by a number of codes signifying type, packing group,
limitations, year of manufacture etc. The mark implies that the construction of the package
corresponds to a design type that has been tested according to specifications set down in the
regulations. The tests are definitely not kind to the packages. They are required to survive
drops, heating, drowning, punctures and many other forms of torture.

Marking and Labelling

The correct marking and labelling of dangerous goods is very important. It may be the
clearest way of identifying a package containing dangerous goods in a stressful environment,
especially if the package has been damaged and there is risk of contamination.

Under the section “Classification” I have included a complete set of the labels to be used
along with the classes and divisions they represent.
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My personal “favourite” among dangerous goods classes is infectious substances. Anyone

encountering such a package that is spilling its’ contents has, most likely, already been
infected, unless he sees it at a safe distance. If the package has been damaged during flight,
the person opening the cargo hatch will find himself in close proximity to it before he sees the
danger. While this is also true for toxins with an inhalation hazard, most other forms of
dangerous goods can be found, damaged, without significant personal danger. For these
reasons, if nothing else, no dangerous goods may be loaded on an aircraft with damaged or
missing labels

Documentation
There are three documents that must accompany all forms of dangerous goods shipped as air
cargo, except those shipped as “Excepted quantities”.

The first is the “Air Waybill”. While this should be completed for all air cargo, if the
consignment includes dangerous goods, the “Air Waybill” must include all relevant hazard
information.

Next, we have the “Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods”. This must include the
following information:
Shipper
Consignee
Air Waybill number
How many pages
Aircraft limitations: “Passenger and cargo aircraft” or “Cargo aircraft
only”
Airport of departure
Airport of destination
Shipment type: “Radioactive” or “Non-radioactive”
Nature and quantity of dangerous goods
Additional handling information (special handling requirements)
Name and title of signatory
Place and date
Signature

The lower half of the “Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods” (fig.3) concerns nature
and quantity, and is reproduced in part below:
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Fig. 3 Shippers Declaration

NATURE AND QUANTITY OF DANGEROUS GOODS

Dangerous goods identification

Pack- Subsi- Quantity and type of Packing Authorisation

Class or UN or ID
Proper shipping name ing diary packing inst.
division No.
group risk

Infectious 6.2 UN281 1 602

substance, 4 Fibreboard
Affecting box 5g
humans
(Lassa virus)
9 II
UN184 I 904
Dry Ice 5 10kg
Overpack
used
NOTE: The actual document is easily recognised by its’ borders in red hatching.

This data is to be copied to the third document known as the NOTOC (fig.3)
(Notification To Captain).

This document is completed by the shipper or handling agent and is signed by the person
responsible for loading the aircraft, and given to the captain.
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The format of a NOTOC may vary, in detail, from airline to airline but they basically cover
the same information. The purpose of the NOTOC is twofold. It is a legal document whereby
the person responsible for loading the aircraft certifies that the regulations have been
complied with and it serves to inform the pilot in command of what has been loaded, how and

Aircraft registration
Station of Flight no. Date Prepared by
SPECIAL LOAD NOTIFICATION TO CAPTAIN loading
GOT SR427 31JUN98 HBIJC
MartyFeldman

No. Of Net Radio- CA

Station of Class or UN or ID P Loading
Air Waybill no. Proper shipping name pack- qty or active Code O
unloading division no. G position
ages TI cat. (X)
Infectious
ZRH 12345678 substance 6.2 UN2814 1 5g RIS Cpt 4
(Lassa virus)
I
ZRH 12345678 Dry Ice 9 UN1845 1 10kg I ICE Cpt 4
I

There is no evidence that any damaged or leaking packages containing Loading supervisor Captain
dangerous goods have been loaded on the aircraft. All dangerous goods
have been loaded and secured in compliance with the dangerous goods Groucho Marx Woody Allen
regulations and with company regulations. (Name and signature) (Name and signature)

where.

All those documents must be issued with minimum 3 copy’s.

1. Captain, Operator, 2 Originator, 3 Receiver

Handling and loading

Last in the chain of handling dangerous goods is the person responsible for loading the
aircraft, whether it is a handling agent or one of the pilots. Distributing the load in the aircraft
may require some thought and planning, particularly if there are other special loads involved
such as live animals or foodstuffs.
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As we have seen some dangerous goods must be kept apart from each other but we must also
consider other special loads. There are various ways of separating different forms of cargo
depending on if the aircraft is ULD-loaded or bulk-loaded, or a combination of the two. Some
things must be loaded in separate compartments while others only need to be kept well apart.
Dry ice emits carbon dioxide, which is suffocating so it must not be loaded in the same
compartment as live animals or they may not reach the destination alive. Radioactive

materials may be loaded in the same compartment as live animals as long as there is sufficient
distance separating them to prevent the animal from being contaminated. Another situation is
live animals and infectious substances. These may not be loaded in the same compartment or
on adjacent pallets but may be loaded in adjacent, enclosed containers.

Before accepting a package of dangerous goods for loading, the person supervising the
loading must inspect the goods to make sure the packages or labels are not damaged. He must
also make sure all the documentation is in order and that the goods are loaded and secured
safely. His signature on the NOTOC must be a trustworthy guarantee for the crew who are
taking the hazard with them into the air.

The following tables are of some aid in planning the loading of dangerous goods on an
aircraft.

Table 1 Class compatibility

Class
Or
Group 1 2 3 4.2 4.3 5 8
1 Note 1 Note 2 Note 2 Note 2 Note 2 Note 2 X
2 Note 2 - - - - - -
3 Note 2 - - - - X -
4.2 Note 2 - - - - X X
4.3 Note 2 - - - - X X
5 Note 2 - X X X - X
8 X - - X X X -
NOTE: Group 4.1 and classes 6, 7 and 9 are not included in this table, as they do not
require separation from other classes of dangerous goods.
NOTE 1: Explosives of the same compatibility group may be loaded together regardless
of division.
NOTE 2: Only explosives of division 1.4S may be loaded with this compatibility group.

Explosives not belonging to the same compatibility group may not be loaded together even if
they belong to the same division, with the exceptions of compatibility groups C, D and E
which may be loaded together.
Explosives of division 1.4S may be loaded together with other compatibility groups with the
exceptions of compatibility groups A and L.
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Table 2 Separation chart

Class Toxins and infectious Radioactive material Dry ice

substances Category II & III Cold fluids

Goods
6 7 9

Live animals (AVI)

Unexposed film
(FIL)

Foodstuffs
(EAT)

Hatching eggs
(HEG)

Seafood / shellfish
(PES)

Meat
(PEM)

Indicates packages that must be separated, physically, from one another, either in separate
compartments or secured well apart.
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Table 3 Compatibility Chart

Class or Cargo
division Code R R R R R R R R RNG R R RSC ROX RPB R R I FI H E H A
and C G X X X X X X RFG C F RFW ROP RIS R C C L U A E V
group X X B C D E G S RPG L L Y M E M T G I

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.3C RCX

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.3G RGX

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.4B RXB

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.4C RXC

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.4D RXD

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.4E RXE

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
1.4G RXG

⎢
1.4S RXS

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
2 RNG/RFG/RPG

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
2 RCL

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
3 RFL

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
4 RSC/RFW

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
5 ROP/ROX

6 RPB/RIS

7 RRY

⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢ ⎢
8 RCM

⎢
9 ICE

FIL
 ⎢ ⎢
HUM

⎢ ⎢
EAT

⎢ ⎢
HEG

⎢ ⎢ ⎢
AVI

Minimum separation distance in accordance with IATA DGR.

May not be loaded together. Adequate separation distance.

May not be loaded in the same compartment; may not be loaded on adjacent pallets. May be
loaded in adjacent, enclosed, containers.
May not be loaded in the same compartment.
Separation is only required for laboratory animals and animals that are natural enemie
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Table 4 Separation distances for radioactive substances.

Minimum distance between the surface of a package, “Overpack” or container, and the floor
of the cabin or flight deck, or live animals.

Total Minimum distance Total Minimum distance

Transport Index (meters) Transport index (meter)

0,1 - 1,0 0,30 13,1 – 14,0 2,05

1,1 – 2,0 0,50 14,1 – 15,0 2,15

2,1 – 3,0 0,70 15,1 – 16,0 2,25

3,1 – 4,0 0,85 16,1 – 17,0 2,35

4,1 – 5,0 1,00 17,1 – 18,0 2,45

5,1 – 6,0 1,15 18,1 – 20,0 2,60

6,1 – 7,0 1,30 20,1 – 25,0 2,90

7,1 – 8,0 1,45 25,1 – 30,0 3,20

8,1 – 9,0 1,55 30,1 – 35,0 3,50

9,1 – 10,0 1,65 35,1 – 40,0 3,75

10,1 – 11,0 1,75 40,1 – 45,0 4,00
11,1 – 12,0 1,85 45,1 – 50,0 4,25
12,1 – 13,0 1,95

Emergency and contamination

If a package of dangerous goods has been damaged to the extent that it spills its contents, the
situation must be handled promptly and correctly. Regardless of the nature of hazard everyone
not immediately required in the vicinity must be kept well away. Anyone who may have been
affected (harmed or contaminated) must be taken care of and their names and addresses noted.
The person supervising the situation must consult a suitable “Dangerous Goods Emergency
Chart” ( IKAO Doc. 9481 )to see what immediate remedial action may be required. The
wrong action may make the situation worse. As soon as possible expert help must be
acquired. There are seldom any established official channels for this, the local telephone
directory is usually the best way of getting expert help. In the case of leaking toxins, for
instance, one could simply call the nearest hospital and get help from their toxicologists.

All handling agents should have an emergency chart, similar to the one below, readily
available. together with types of procedures and kits to handle this type of emergencies.
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Dangerous Goods Emergency Chart

Hazard class division Immediate action

and compatibility Code Dangerous goods class Hazard description (Minimise leakage and contact
group with other cargo)

1.3C RCX Fire and minor blast hazard and/or

1.3G RGX minor propulsive hazard

Explosives acceptable on cargo Notify fire brigade.

1.4B RXB
aircraft only.
1.4C RXC
1.4D RXD Fire but no other significant hazard. Guard against fire.
1.4E RXE
1.4G RXG

1.4S RXS Explosives (safety) Small fire hazard

RNG Non-flammable gas High-pressure cylinder bursting. Notify fire brigade

RFG Flammable gas Ignites when leaking. Guard against fire
2
Cryogenic liquid Sub-cooling Keep away
RCL Minimum 25m
Poisonous gas High-pressure cylinder bursting.
RPG
Cargo aircraft only. Inhalation toxin.

3 RFL Flammable liquid Ignites when leaking. Notify fire brigade

Guard against fire.
4.1 RFS Flammable solid. Combustible, contributes to fire.
4.2 RSC Spontaneously combustible. Ignites in contact with air. Do not use water under any
4.3 RFW Dangerous when wet. Ignites in contact with water. circumstances.

Ignites combustibles on contact. Notify fire brigade

5.1 ROX Oxidiser
Reacts violently with other Guard against fire.
5.2 ROP Organic peroxide
substances. Do not use water.

Harmful if swallowed, inhaled or in

6.1 RPB Poison Isolate area.
contact with skin.
RHF Harmful – stow away from food Obtain qualified assistance.
Causes disease in humans and
6.2 RIS Infectious substance. Do not touch.
animals.
Keep away.
7 CAT I RRW Radioactive - white Radiation hazard and harmful to Minimum 25m.
7 CAT II / III RRY Radioactive - yellow health

Notify fire brigade

8 RCM Corrosive Hazardous to skin and metal
Avoid skin contact

RSB
Polystyrene beads Evolves small quantities RFG
MAG Avoid skin contact
Magnetised material Affects navigation system
9 ICE
Dry Ice Causes sub-cooling / suffocation
RMD No immediate action required.
Miscellaneous dangerous goods Hazards not covered by other classes
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Dangerous goods in passenger baggage

Dangerous goods, as such, are not permitted in passenger baggage. Passengers do however,
often pack articles and substances that are hazardous. To a certain extent, this is acceptable. It
would not be proper to discriminate against disabled passengers who need electric
wheelchairs so these are allowed. Some forms of cosmetics such as hairspray and perfume
may be hazardous but it would be very difficult to get passengers to abstain from bringing
these on their journeys. On the next page there is a table taken from IATA DGR that indicates
what is acceptable and to what extent.

The major problem in this case is to locate the passenger who is carrying unacceptable
articles. It is mainly up to passenger handling staff to be on the lookout for signs of potential
hazard as it would be unethical or illegal to search the baggage.

These are a few suggestions:

Camping or hiking equipment. May contain butane or flammable liquids, an extensive

supply of matches, emergency flares and many other dangerous articles.

Toolboxes. Some forms of measuring equipment are radioactive. There may be gas-powered
soldering irons, explosives, adhesives, corrosives, resins, paints solvents etc.

Diving equipment. Apart from the breathing apparatus, divers may be carrying diving
torches that generate extremely high heat when operated in air.

Motion picture and stage. May involve articles for special effects that may contain
explosives or flammables.

Automobile accessories. Substances for corrosive protection. Fuel additives such as nitro-
methane.

Most passengers cannot be expected to be familiar with the normal conditions in an aircraft
such as the changes in temperature and pressure. Nor can they be expected to always consider
the dangers inherent in the everyday objects we all surround ourselves with. A large supply of
matches on a pantry shelf does not seem particularly lethal but packed in a bag on board an
aircraft it can be very hazardous.

Information about dangerous goods in baggage must be provided to the passengers. As a

minimum, this must consist of placards at check-in counters and having it printed on tickets or
ticket folders.

Though it might prove difficult or impractical in a congested situation it is good practice for
all check-in staff to ask each passenger if they are carrying any of the articles on these
placards
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Radioactive materials

Radioactive packages can be very unpleasant to handle. Radiation cannot be detected by any
human senses, only by measuring equipment. Nevertheless, it can be very harmful to living
tissue and organs. The smallest, noticeable, symptoms of radiation contamination are nausea
and vomiting, and a generally unpleasant feeling. These symptoms disappear within a couple
of days. The worst symptoms are much more gruesome. The radiation can destroy the central
nervous system and most of the internal organs leading to death within two to three days.

Radioactive materials are articles or substances that spontaneously and continuously emit
ionising radiation. These substances are composed of one or more of the chemical elements
and each is distinguished by its own unique atomic number.

The atoms of each chemical element can exist in a number of slightly different variations
without altering the chemical characteristics or the physical form of the element. Some of
these variations occur naturally and some are artificially produced and are termed isotopes or
nuclides. Each of these is denoted by its own atomic mass number, not to be confused with
atomic number.

For instance, Chlorine has the atomic number 17 and as isotopes may be called Chlorine-35 or
Chlorine-37 which are non-radioactive or, Chlorine-36 or Chlorine-38 which are radioactive
and so termed radioisotopes.

Radioactive substances consist of material in which at any particular time some of the atoms
are radioactive. Each of these radioactive atoms, randomly and spontaneously, undergoes a
process of disintegration. In this process the atoms emit their characteristic form of radiation
and decompose into another configuration. This radiation consists of one or more of the
various forms of radiation, alpha, beta, gamma, X-ray or neutron.

We are, to some extent, interested in measuring the activity of the radiation. The old unit of
measuring activity was the Curie (Ci) but the SI unit is the Becquerel (Bq) which is defined as
one atomic transformation per second. Since the Becquerel is such an extremely small unit, it
is common to use the multiples kilobecquerel (kBq) or megabecquerel (MBq). For the
purpose of dangerous goods regulations a substance must have an activity greater than 70
Becquerel per gram (70 Bq/g) or 70 kilobecquerels per kilogram (70 kBq/kg) to be regarded
as radioactive material.

The activity of a radioactive material is, essentially, a measurement of its quantity. As each
radioactive atom decays the remaining activity declines. The time it takes for a radioisotope to
lose half its activity is known as its half-life. In successive half-life periods, a radioisotope is
reduced by decay to ½, ¼, etc. of its initial value. It is therefore possible to predict the
remaining activity at any given time. The half-life time may be significant when transporting
radioisotopes with extremely short half-lives. The half-life period may vary from billionths of
a second to billions of years.
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The different forms of radiation, mentioned earlier, have varying characteristics. Alpha
radiation has a range of a few centimetres, in air, and beta radiation has a range of a few
metres. These can generally be absorbed by paper or wood, or conventional packing
materials.

Gamma and X-ray radiation, on the other hand, have theoretically infinite ranges and are only
absorbed by high-density materials such as lead. They do however, disperse rapidly with
distance.

For our safety we are interested in measuring radiation exposure and radiation dose-
equivalent. The old units of measurement were roentgen ( R ) and rem, respectively. The SI
unit of radiation exposure is Coulomb per kilogram (C/kg) and for dose-equivalent it is
Sievert (Sv).

Neutron radiation is a special case. It is assessed, primarily, by the number of neutrons

passing through unit cross-sectional area in unit time. This can be converted to dose-
equivalent by a fairly simple method.

There are international agreements on acceptable levels of radiation in a working

environment. These are usually established in terms of cumulative doses on a yearly basis and
applied as limiting dose-equivalent rates. This means that an environment where a person is
constantly exposed to radiation will be limited to a lower dose-equivalent rate than an
environment where radiation is more sporadic.

Another safety consideration, in a working environment, is the form of the radioactive

substance. A radioactive gas or liquid may find its way into the body where it will stay for
varying lengths of time. How long will vary depending on the form and characteristics of the
substance. Some substances will be rejected by the body immediately while some are retained
indefinitely. In the latter case the dose-equivalent rate may be low but since the exposure time
is likely to be for life the accumulated exposure will be severe if the substance has a long half-
life period.

Fissile materials are radioactive materials in which the atoms can be split by neutron radiation
which will cause them to release energy in the form of heat, gamma radiation and more
neutron radiation. If a sufficient quantity of fissile material is assembled in one place under
certain conditions the added neutron radiation can cause a nuclear chain reaction. This kind of
reaction is known as critical and may produce intense heat and high radiation. More or less
what happens in an atomic bomb.
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For the purpose of dangerous goods regulations only the following radioisotopes, or mixtures
containing them, are considered fissile:

Uranium-233
Uranium-235
Plutonium-238
Plutonium-239
Plutonium-241

The regulations go into further detail which are worthwhile reading if one should come into
contact with the transport of fissile materials.

Some other terms used in the transport of radioactive material are “Special form”, “Surface
Contaminated Objects” (SCO) and “Low Specific Activity” (LSA).

“Special Form” is used to describe radioactive material which is in a sealed integral form and
so cannot, for all practical purposes, produce radioactive contamination.

“Surface Contaminated Objects” is more or less self-descriptive. This is an object which is

not radioactive in itself but has radioactive material on its surface.

“Low Specific Activity” is material that, by nature, has limited activity or for which limits of
estimated average activity apply.
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When transporting radioactive materials it is impractical to go into the details of the various
forms of substances and their different forms of radiation. The packages, or overpacks, are
assigned to one of three categories known as:

“category I-white” or “RRW”

“category II-yellow” or “RRY II”
“category III-yellow” or “RRY III”

Which category a package should be assigned to is determined, primarily, by measuring its

surface radiation. “Category I-white” is limited to 5 µSv/h, “category II-yellow” allows up to
0.5 mSv/h and more than that but less than 2 mSv/h is assigned to “category III-yellow”.

Depending on the size of the package and the radiation it emits, a transport index (TI) is
determined. The purpose of this is to enable us to handle it correctly without having a deep
knowledge of nuclear physics.

Using table 4 above we can fairly easily determine where, in an aircraft, we can load the
package and to what extent we need to ensure it is separated from other cargo. If, for instance,
we receive three packages with TI of 2, 3 and 3.5 respectively we can see that they must be
separated from live animals, cabin floor (or walls) and some other forms of cargo. The first
two packages must have a minimum separation of 70cm and the third 85cm. If, however, we
load all three packages in the same place we get an accumulated TI of 8.5 which requires a
separation of 155cm.

When receiving an aircraft carrying radioactive materials one always approaches the hold
while measuring the radiation levels. As long as the instrument one is using shows no
significant radiation, it is safe to proceed up to the cargo hatch. After that, open the hold and
measure inside the hold. If the package appears undamaged, measure the surface of the
package and if there is still no more radiation than expected, it is safe to unload the package.
If, at some point in the procedure, the radiation levels increase significantly it is imperative to
stop and back away. Get qualified assistance and let them handle the situation. Refer to the
chapter on emergencies and contamination.