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IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations 49th Edition: Whats New?

The 49th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, available in late September 2007, will take effect 1 January 2008. This edition of the DGR will consolidate changes introduced by ICAO through an addendum to the 2007-2008 edition of the Technical Instructions, as well as changes agreed to by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board. In addition, the latest edition of the DGR will contain an appendix listing the impending regulatory changes to take effect in 2009 with the publication of the 2009-2010 edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions and the 50th edition of the DGR. This article is aimed at giving you an understanding of the changes as well as some insight into the reasons for those changes. Section 2 Limitations Two new provisions have been added to the items listed in Subsection 2.3: Dangerous Goods Carried by Passengers or Crew and Table2.3. A Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MRE): MRE were originally developed by the military as a way of providing hot meals to soldiers in the field. The MRE contains a pre-packaged meal, together with a flameless heater. The flameless heater consists of a small pouch of iron or other metal powder and a pouch of salt water. It is these heating mechanisms that have caused concern when used on board aircraft as they produce a significant volume of hydrogen gas as part of the exothermic (heat producing) reaction. Accordingly, MRE may be carried by passengers or crew in checked or carry-on baggage, but are forbidden for use onboard aircraft. Chemical Agent Monitoring Equipment: Containing small traces of radioactive materials, these instruments are carried, with the approval of the operator, by members of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Members of the OPCW, when on official travel, may have a need to carry these instruments, which are used to detect and/or identify chemical agents. Section 4 Identification In Subsection 4.2: List of Dangerous Goods,there are several revisions: A reference to Special Provision A123 has been added against the light type entry batteries, dry. A123 specifies that batteries or battery-powered equipment must be protected against short circuit or inadvertent operation. Dry cell batteries and equipment powered by dry cell batteries are not classified as dangerous goods and are therefore not regulated for transport. However, there have been a significant number of incidents where batteries with exposed terminals have short-circuited, causing fire. Also, battery-powered equipment has inadvertently been activated causing overheating and fires.

Reference to the Keep away from heat handling label has been added to Column E for self-reactive substances of Division 4.1 and Division 5.2 organic peroxides to reinforce the requirements of SP A20, which requires the addition of the handling label. Section 4.4 Special Provisions SP A154 has been added in reference to UN 3090 (lithium batteries and UN 3091) lithium batteries contained in equipment and packed with equipment. A154 states lithium batteries subject to safety recall by the manufacturer, or lithium batteries that have been damaged are forbidden for transport. This additional provision reflects the concerns of regulatory authorities about recent battery recalls following fires. Section 5 Packing 5.0.1.2 contains a new paragraph stating that any external contamination on packaging must be removed prior to being placed in transport Packing Instructions Packing Instructions 203, Y203, 204, Y204 and 910 have been revised to ensure that valves on aerosols must be protected from inadvertent activation when packed for transport. Packing Instructions 902 and 910 have been expanded to address requirements in which shippers present magnetised materials or consumer commodities in a unit load device (ULD). The additional content is the same as that already added to PI 904 for dry ice. This requires that the shipper must provide the operator (airline) with written documentation specifying the number of packages and weight for each ULD. Section 7 Marking and Labelling 7.1.5.1(d) has been revised to make the addition of the letter G after kg mandatory for items where the declared weight is a gross weight. Previously, this was only a recommendation. This requirement applies only to nominated classes and consignments of more than one package. 7.3.13 Figure 7.3.M Division 5.2 Organic Peroxide hazard label. The design of the label has been brought into alignment with the UN Model Regulations, which states that the colour of the line in the upper half of the label must be the same as the colour of the flame symbol. Section 8 Documentation 8.1.6.9.2(a) Quantity of dangerous goods in each package. This has been revised to make the addition of the letter G after kg mandatory for items where the declared weight is a gross weight. The addition of the G was previously only a recommendation. The change is intended to reduce concerns during the airline acceptance check about the weight declared and should reduce acceptance delays. 8.1.6.9.2(c) Declared quantity for no limit or items where 4.2 shows a reference to packing instructions. The wording in the 48th edition, based on modifications to the ICAO Technical Instructions, caused significant problems, particularly for items such as aircraft engines (UN 3166), life rafts (UN 2990), etc. The paragraph has been revised to clarify exactly which items require a gross weight (being the total weight of the package as presented for transport) and which require the net weight of the dangerous goods inside the package to be shown on the Shippers Declaration. Appendix I Impending Changes The content of Appendix I reflects the changes agreed to and implemented by the UN Subcommittee in the 15th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations. It also addresses the changes agreed to by the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel. These will appear in the 2009-2010 edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions and the 50th edition of the DGR. These items are included in Appendix I to provide advance information to shippers, training providers, operators and others on changes that will need to be made before the end of

2008. The contents of Appendix I include: Training requirements for no carry operators. There will be specific reference, and an additional table similar to Table 1.5.A stating airlines that elect not to transport dangerous goods as cargo must still provide dangerous goods training to their employees. Dangerous Goods Carried by Passengers or Crew. Amendments to dangerous goods permitted in passenger or crew baggage include: Gaseous oxygen or air cylinders. The current wording permits small cylinders with the approval of the operator, but there is no indication of what constitutes small. This will be revised in the 50th edition where the weight of the cylinder will be restricted to 5 kg. Consumer electronic equipment powered by lithium batteries. Reference to lithium equivalent content for lithium ion batteries has been revised to reflect a maximum Watt/hour rating of 100 W/hr. The watt/hour rating is already marked on consumer type lithium ion batteries. This change reflects the amendments to SP A45. Fuel cell cartridges. This is an area where final details have not yet been confirmed. It is likely that the types of fuels in fuel cell cartridges may be expanded to include corrosive substances, liquefied flammable gas, water-reactive substances and hydrogen in metal hydride.

Dangerous Goods in Excepted Quantities. The UN has included provisions for dangerous goods in excepted quantities in the 15th revised edition of the UN Model Regulations. This is expected to lead to the incorporation of these provisions into the modal regulations for road, rail and sea transport and result in harmonised multi-modal transport for dangerous goods in excepted quantities. While the UN provisions are based on the existing air transport requirements, as shown in DGR 2.7, the UN Subcommittee has made a number of revisions to the excepted quantity provisions. These changes include a standardised package marking that will replace the IATA Dangerous Goods in Excepted Quantity label. List of Dangerous Goods. There will be a number of new UN number/proper shipping-name entries that will come into effect from 1 January 2009. These include new UN numbers for:

Ethanol and gasoline (petrol) mixture (UN 3475). The new UN number was introduced to recognize the expanding use of ethanol blend motor fuels and to assist emergency responders to identify these ethanol blends, which require different fire-fighting equipment. Fuel cell cartridges (UN 3476 Division 4.3, UN 3477 Class 8, UN 3478 Division 2.1 Liquefied flammable gas and UN 3479 Division 2.1 Hydrogen in metal hydride). Here too an emerging technology has created the need for additional entries to the list of dangerous goods. Against the applicable UN number there will also be a separate proper shipping name for the fuel cell cartridges contained in, or packed with, equipment. The Division 4.3 and Class 8 entries have the passenger aircraft net quantity shown in square brackets [] as these are still subject to discussion at the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel. Addition of these entries will facilitate international transport. Lithium ion batteries (UN 3480), Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment and Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment (UN 3481) The existing UN numbers applicable to lithium batteries and lithium batteries contained in, or packed with, equipment (UN 3090 & UN 3091) will be retained but the proper shipping names will be amended to become lithium metal batteries. This amendment and the new entries were agreed upon so that the different battery chemistries could be determined in transport. Lithium metal batteries exhibit very different characteristics to those of lithium ion batteries in the event of fire. There have been a number of incidents involving lithium batteries in air transport, and as a result it is likely that lithium metal batteries will be forbidden as cargo on passenger aircraft.

Special Provisions.There will be a number of new and amended special provisions that will come into effect from 1 January 2009. These include:

A45 has been significantly revised to reflect decisions taken by the UN Subcommittee requiring that lithium batteries and equipment containing lithium batteries be provided with greater protection from damage, short circuit and accidental activation. Reference to lithium equivalent content for lithium ion batteries has been removed and instead the watt/hour (W/hr) rating of a lithium ion battery will be used, with 100 W/hr being the trigger point beyond which a lithium ion battery will become fully regulated. It is very likely that A45 will be further revised by the ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel prior to adoption into the 2009 edition. A67 and A123 have been revised and a new A164 has been added. The special provisions all apply to batteries. These will require that batteries, when prepared for transport, are packed so that they are protected from short circuit and unintentional activation. A146 has been revised and A157, A161 and A162 have been added. All apply to fuel cell cartridges. Packing Instructions. The addition of new entries into the List of Dangerous Goods requires numerous new packing instructions. As well, a number of the existing packing instructions will be revised. These include:

PI 200. The UN Subcommittee agreed to a proposal from the gas industry that amends the test pressure and/or filling ratio for a significant number of gases listed in Table PI200.B. PI 202. Will allow for glass-insulated vessels in the transport of Division 2.2 refrigerated liquefied gases. The glass-insulated vessels will have to be designed and tested to meet PG II performance standards in accordance with provisions 6.2 and 6.3, respectively. PI 215. Is a new packing instruction that will apply to the two new fuel cell cartridge entries in Division 2.1, UN 3478 Fuel cell cartridges containing liquefied flammable gas and UN 3479 Fuel cell cartridges containing hydrogen in metal hydride. The packing instruction also addresses requirements for the cartridges when contained in equipment or packed with equipment. PI 313. Currently applies to UN 3473 Fuel cell cartridges containing flammable liquid. This packing instruction will be revised to align with the content and structure of the other packing instructions applicable to fuel cell cartridges. PI 436. A new packing instruction that will apply to the new fuel cell cartridge entry in Division 4.3, UN 3476 Fuel cell cartridges containing water-reactive substances. PI 827. Is a new packing instruction that will apply to the new fuel cell cartridge entry in Class 8, UN 3477 Fuel cell cartridges containing corrosive substances. PI 915. Applies to chemical kits and first aid kits (UN 3316). At the present time the wording of the packing instructions prohibit any other dangerous goods from being shipped in the same outer packaging with the kits. This follows representation from Industry that prohibition will be revised to permit dry ice to be packed in the same outer packaging with chemical kits or first aid kits.

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