Tips For Properly Shipping Hazardous Materials

There are many different items and products that are used for everyday applications that care considered hazardous materials. For example, common items such as paint and batteries can be considered hazardous when it comes to shipping. There are also many chemicals that are classified as hazardous. If your company regularly ships any item that is considered hazardous, it is extremely important to know how to ship these items safely. Failure to properly package and ship hazardous materials can be dangerous and can also result in steep fines. Use the following tips to help your company properly ship hazardous materials.

Have a Complete Understanding of Regulations

Before you ship a potentially hazardous item for the first time, it is extremely important to understand the rules and regulations. Neglecting to understand the regulations can lead to major problems while also getting your company into a lot of trouble. When it comes to hazardous materials, claiming to have not known the packing and shipping requirements is ignorant, and your company will be held liable if anything goes wrong because your company did not know what it was doing.

Use the Right Shipping Packaging

Shipping hazardous materials involves a lot more than placing items in a box, taping it up, and addressing it. It is vital to always use the right packaging when preparing to ship anything deemed hazardous. Make sure that the hazardous items are surrounded by absorbent packing material so the items will not move around or possibly break while in transit. If the hazardous material that you are shipping is liquid, you will need to encase it in a special waterproof container before it can be packed up. 

Always Let Your Shipping Company Know About Hazardous Materials

Properly packaging hazardous materials for shipping is not enough—you always need to let the shipping company that you work with know that your items are considered hazardous. In most cases, you will be required to put a sticker on the outside of packages to alert people to the fact that the contents are hazardous and you will most likely need to fill out forms explaining the nature of the items your company is shipping. 

Keep Up on Training

Packaging hazardous materials for shipping is a job that requires a lot of attention to detail and skill. Only a select number of employees should be in charge of packaging hazardous materials. Make sure that these employees are properly trained. Provide additional training on a regular basis to help increase compliance and reduce issues. 

For more information on shipping hazardous materials, contact a shipping company.