Training Your Staff to Ship Dangerous Goods

If you are shipping dangerous goods there are different regulations that you need to be aware of. Your staff must remain up to date on these regulations by taking part in relevant training. At ICC, we provide the essential training your staff needs to ensure compliance, avoid heavy fines, and delays.

Shipping Dangerous Goods in the U.S.A

When transporting dangerous goods by ground in the U.S.A., employees must follow regulations listed in Title 49 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR). Issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), these regulations govern the transportation of dangerous goods in the U.S.A. When goods are being exported or imported by sea and air, compliance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations and International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG), in addition to 49 CFR is also required.

ICC training provides information needed to ship products in compliance with 49 CFR and IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Students who complete this course are issued a certification that is valid for 2 years, per IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and other national transport regulations.

Topics covered under this training:

Overview of regulations affecting transport of hazardous materials
Structure of 49 CFR and IATA
Classification and Proper Shipping Names
Packaging, marking, labeling and placarding
Shipper responsibilities and documents
Training requirements
Security awareness
State, operator, and carrier variations
Exemptions, exceptions, and special provisions

Shipping Dangerous Goods in Canada

The shipping, handling, or transporting of dangerous goods in Canada requires training per Transport Canada’s standards. Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations cover transport by road, rail, and domestic water and require shippers, carriers, and handlers to meet strict safety and hazard communication requirements.

ICC offers classroom, on-site and online training options for shipping dangerous goods in Canada. The general awareness program offers TDG training and your responsibilities under them; along with how to recognize dangerous goods for transport. The transportation of dangerous goods in small quantities covers the basic requirements of TDG and IATA regulations along with specific procedures for shipping goods such as consumer commodities, limited quantities, small quantities, expected quantities, and de minimis quantities. We also offer online training for shipping dangerous goods by ground in Canada and US/Canada transborder training for shipping dangerous goods by ground.

Topics covered:

Overview of regulations affecting dangerous goods
Structure of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR)
Shipper’s and carrier’s responsibilities
Training requirements
Using list of dangerous goods (numerical and alphabetical)
Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) requirements
Special cases and exemptions
Brief overview of the applicable provincial and transborder regulations

Shipping Dangerous Goods by Air

Shipping goods internationally requires compliance with both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) technical instructions, as well as national regulations. To meet commercial standards, shippers must also comply with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.

At ICC, we offer Entry-level and Intermediate training courses for shipping dangerous goods by air using IATA regulations. The training modules are attended for shippers, packers, cargo agents, freight forwarders, and operator personnel who are responsible for the preparation of hazardous materials by air transportation.

Topics covered:

Overview of national and international regulations on transport of dangerous goods by air
Shipper’s responsibilities
Training requirements
State and operator variations
7 Steps to Compliance
Use the list of dangerous goods
Limited quantities
Excepted quantities

Shipping Dangerous Goods by Sea

Sea transportation is one of the most cost-effective ways to ship dangerous goods. However, strict rules apply through the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) agreement and the International Marine Organization (IMO). Therefore, international shipments must comply with both the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG) and national transportation regulations.

ICC offers comprehensive shipping by sea IMDG course that covers the most current IMDG code including amendment 37-14. Students who complete this course receive a certification that holds an expiry of 3 years.

Topics covered:

Overview of national and international regulations on transport of dangerous by ocean
Structure of the IMDG code
Shipper’s responsibilities
Training requirements
7 Steps to Compliance
Use the list of dangerous goods
Limited quantities
Segregation requirements
Amendments and updates

Read our guide to learn more about all the procedures associated with shipping dangerous goods.

Shipping Biological Substances & Dry Ice

Biological substances and dry ice are transported from hospitals, medical clinics, and scientific research locations daily. Special rules apply for the transport of these potentially infectious agents, as well as the cooling agents used to preserve them.

ICC’s training on shipping biological substances & dry ice is essential in learning how to classify and prepare these substances correctly for transport. Students who complete this course are issued a certification that is valid for 2 years, per IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and other national transport regulations.

Topics covered under this training:

Overview of national and international regulations on transport of biological substances and cooling agents such as dry ice
Shipper’s and carrier’s responsibilities
7 Steps to Compliance
Exceptions from the regulations
Amendments and updates, including new categories for infectious substances

Safe Transportation of Radioactive Materials

This training provides information for shipping radioactive materials by air (using the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations) and ground (in Canada under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations and in the USA using the 49 CFR hazardous materials regulations).

Topics covered under this training:

Introduction to National and International Regulations
Classification of Radioactives
Obtain the Shipping Description
Packaging for Radioactives
Marking and Labeling
Documentation
Placarding, Loading and Handling
Reporting
Security Awareness

Shipping Lithium Batteries

In recent years, ICAO, IATA, 49 CFR, IMO, and TDG have implemented significant changes to the way lithium batteries need to be classified, labeled, and packaged. ICC offers training courses that focus on how to ship lithium batteries by different modes of transport in U.S.A. and Canada.

These courses will follow the 7 Steps to Compliance to teach you how to ship medium and large batteries, as well as using the exemption for small batteries.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about our training courses, please contact us.

We have all the products, services and training you need to ensure your staff is properly trained and informed.