These common mistakes when shipping hazardous materials can end up costing your business a lot of money.

Shipping hazardous materials have very little room for mistakes but very large consequences if done incorrectly. Mistakes when shipping hazmat materials can cause injury, damage to property, or endanger lives, so hazmat shipping should always be handled with tremendous caution.

Safe hazmat shipping is possible but requires diligence, communication, and attention to detail.

These are the most common mistakes companies make when shipping hazardous materials.

DEFINITION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS/DANGEROUS GOODS

First, let’s clarify what hazardous materials or dangerous goods are.

Many think of hazardous materials as things like explosives, gasoline, or acids. Yet, many common goods are hazardous when shipped, such as aerosol sprays, nail polish, alcohol, paint, dry ice, or cosmetics. Any substance or material that can pose a risk to health, safety, or property is a hazardous material or dangerous good.

SHIPPING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS VIOLATIONS

Hazmat safety regulations exist to keep people, property, and the environment safe. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) handle these regulations.

One reason you don’t want to make any hazardous shipping mistakes? Violations. Currently, hazmat regulation penalties are:

HAZARDOUS SHIPPING MISTAKE EXAMPLES

Many companies have made hazardous shipping mistakes. Here are some true scenarios. 

Example 1: Online Retailer

Fined $91,000

An online retailer shipped a package by air containing flammable liquid adhesive. The motor carrier discovered the product leaking from its container. The online retailer offered the shipment, not including the required shipping papers or emergency response information. The freight’s packaging was incorrect and not marked or labeled as required. Nor were the company’s employees trained in handling hazmat packages for shipment by air.

Example 2: Chemical Company

Fined $325,000

On two separate occasions, a chemical company shipped undeclared hazardous material that is illegal to transport by air. The chemical company allegedly shipped pints of acrolein, which can become explosive when combined with air. Neither shipment had the required shipping papers or emergency response information. Additionally, one of the shipments was not marked, labeled, or packaged as required. Employee training was also found to be non-compliant.

Example 3: Flooring Company

Fined $63,000

A flooring company shipped a package of hazardous freight. The motor carrier found a package leaking. The flooring company did not provide the required shipping papers or emergency response information, nor did they mark, label, or package the shipment as required. Additionally, employees were not trained to handle hazardous materials.

COMMON HAZMAT SHIPPING MISTAKES

Failing to Label and Declare Goods Properly

Failing to label and declare hazardous goods is one of the most common shipping mistakes. Transparency is critical at every level to ship hazardous materials without mistakes.

All hazardous freight must have the proper UN hazmat labels or hazmat placards to identify their contents. Shippers must also disclose the information on the shipper’s declaration form.

Failing to properly mark, label, and declare your hazardous materials keeps employees from knowing what kind of materials they are handling, which hazard class they belong to, and what kind of precautionary measures they need to take. In the end, improper labeling and declaration can be an endangerment.

Not Accounting for Differences in Modes of Transportation

Regulations on certain hazardous goods and packaging methods can vary based on which mode they’re shipped with.

Take dry ice as an example. It has different regulations when shipped by ground than when by air. Another example is magnetized material. It’s only subjected to regulation restrictions when transported by air due to the interference it can cause to aircraft instruments.

That’s why it’s important to confirm the mode of transportation when shipping hazardous materials before packing, marking, labeling, and documenting everything. This way, you and your logistics provider know the exact shipping requirements needed.

Lack of Familiarity with Specific Regulations for Each Substance

The USDOT provides detailed tables of hazardous materials and their specific regulations for each classification. This includes specific information such as what packaging to use or transportation modes to ship. It’s your company’s responsibility to be knowledgeable and familiar with those regulations. Even still, ignorance of these regulations is a common mistake when shipping hazardous materials.

Assuming Goods Aren’t Hazardous

There are many materials that the average person wouldn’t think of as hazardous. Assuming goods aren’t hazardous materials when they are is a common mistake that happens when employees aren’t properly trained on hazmat and dangerous goods. As a result, they lack the required knowledge to differentiate what is and isn’t hazardous. This risks transporting hazardous material without being packaged, labeled, and communicated in the correct manner.

This mistake has the potential to cause catastrophic consequences depending on the product, the transportation mode, and several other factors. Ensure your employees are trained and when in doubt, don’t assume. Take the extra time to research the material if needed and follow hazardous protocol when applicable.

Some common items that are assumed to be non-hazardous are:

Letting Untrained Employees Handle Hazardous Materials

What’s the easiest and most important way to avoid hazardous material shipping mistakes? Make sure your employees are trained in hazmat shipping.

Many of these mistakes happen due to untrained employees handling hazmat shipments. Therefore, employees need to undergo formal training and show competence under supervision before handling hazardous goods on their own. Additionally, employees should frequently be reeducated to stay keen on hazmat shipping requirements.

Not Following Exact Instructions for Packaging by the Manufacturer

Hazardous material packaging is designed to meet regulatory requirements. Many hazmat packaging manufacturers will include detailed instructions on how to use their packaging for safe and compliant shipping. It’s important that employees have access to these instructions and understand them completely.

Thinking Any Mistakes Will be Overlooked

It can be easy to think your business won’t get caught with a hazmat shipping violation. Yet, as noted by the examples above, it can and does happen. As the U.S. government remains vigilant in cracking down on hazmat shipping violations, fines continue to increase, making it even more financially smart to stay compliant. Not to mention that those violations can cause harm to the environment or people. No matter what, risking a hazmat shipping violation is never worth it.

AVOID HAZARDOUS SHIPPING MISTAKES WITH AN EXPERT

Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, but when it comes to shipping hazardous materials, it’s crucial to do all you can to reduce them. Now that you know the most common mistakes when shipping hazmat, you can be more aware of avoiding them.

An easy way to help stay compliant when shipping hazardous materials is partnering with an expert knowledgeable in its regulations, like Trinity Logistics. We’ve been in the business of arranging hazardous shipments in several modes for over 40 years. We’ve also been Responsible Care certified since 2009.

If you’re looking for a reliable partner to help you with shipping your hazardous materials, consider Trinity Logistics. We can help take the guesswork out of keeping your hazmat shipments compliant.

Get help with my hazmat shipments

The chemical industry faces challenges such as volatile raw material prices, shortages, supply chain disruption, and more.

The chemicals industry is one of the most important sectors, with 96 percent of all manufactured goods depending on them. With many moving parts and various stakeholders involved in the chemical supply chain, there are several challenges this industry faces. Here are some of the biggest challenges affecting the chemical industry.

CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

MANAGING RAW MATERIALS

The chemical industry, specifically chemical manufacturing, relies heavily on raw materials. Raw material prices, such as those for crude oil, are volatile and can fluctuate at any given time. This can make it difficult to forecast costs and budget and, keep prices competitive.

Keeping an adequate supply of these materials can be an additional challenge. Having too much inventory can potentially lead to chemical waste or spoilage while too little can make it difficult to meet customer demand.

TRANSPORTATION DISRUPTIONS

Chemical industry supply chains can be long and complex. They have many moving parts, making the transportation of chemical products a challenge. If you add in transportation disruptions, it makes it even more problematic.

While transportation disruptions usually occur at some point, in recent years, there’s been a lot of supply chain disruption caused by the onset of Covid-19.

According to a survey by the American Chemistry Council, 97 percent of companies reported having to change to their operations due to supply chain issues in recent years. Because of this, the chemical industry must stay on the tip of its toes and be able to adapt quickly whenever disruption may happen.

Also, global supply chains see the most impact from transportation disruptions. The chemical industry has more global supply chains than other industries, making this challenge more difficult.

REGULATIONS

Chemical products are often specialized and need specific storage and handling. In addition, they face strict regulations on the transport of their products, especially hazardous materials. These regulations are necessary to have in place to protect the environment and people.

In recent years, several high-profile incidents have involved the release of hazardous chemicals into the environment. This has caused governments to introduce more strict regulations. As a result, this has increased the costs for chemical companies to operate. It’s been estimated that chemical companies will have to spend more than $300 billion over the next few years to meet regulations.

The chemical industry must be more vigilant than ever to remain compliant. These increased regulations put more pressure on chemical companies already trying to meet global standards.

The chemical industry has to work with many different regulations and agencies, such as;

LARGE AMOUNTS OF DATA

The chemical industry handles a lot of data. All manufacturing and operational data must be recorded, categorized, and processed. It’s estimated that chemical companies handle up to;

This massive amount of data can be a challenge, especially with supply chain management.

COMPLEX SUPPLY CHAINS

The chemical industry is a complex one. It can include various kinds of chemical processes with products in all forms, from raw to intermediate, to finished goods. There are also many stakeholders involved, from chemical manufacturers to distributors.

Additionally, chemical products are often required to have very specific characteristics with little to no room for variations. Chemical companies also handle more complex items, like hazmat or temperature-controlled. Chemical supply chains are often worldwide, making them much more complex than other industries.

LACK OF VISIBILITY

Due to its complexity, lack of visibility can be a challenge for chemical supply chains. It can be difficult for chemical suppliers to know their inventory levels or how products are being used. Therefore, it’s important for chemical companies to have an accurate picture of their inventory and supply chain. Improved visibility can provide insight into opportunities to reduce costs without sacrificing quality.

CLIMATE CHANGE

The chemical industry is one of the top contributors to global carbon emissions. As the world becomes more concerned about climate change and sustainability, there’s more pressure added onto chemical companies that already face strict regulations.

There’s also a growing demand from consumers for more green and ethical products. For example, many companies are having to find alternative solutions for plastic or use recycled materials.

To keep up with the ever-changing market and demand, chemical companies need to change their processes. They must find ways to create less waste and more products that help reduce their environmental impact.

Also, as the planet warms, more severe weather is taking place. This is causing more disruptions to chemical industry processes. Whether causing a halt in transportation or a shortage of oil, climate change presents several challenges for the chemical industry.

OVERCOMING CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

The chemical industry can be a tough market to compete in. To overcome these challenges, chemical companies need to remain resilient and competitive. As the world and market continue to change, they need to be able to adapt.

Finding like-minded, expert partners with applicable technology is ideal to overcome these challenges. A third-party logistics (3PL) company, like Trinity Logistics, is one such resource.

Trinity Logistics has been in business for over 40 years and has worked with chemical companies of all sizes. Trinity is a trusted partner to help chemical companies better navigate their complex supply chains. We’re well-versed in the chemical industry and can help find a quality carrier for your shipment or offer improved visibility through our customized technology solutions.

When choosing to work with Trinity, our Team Member experts keep you up to date on industry news, upcoming regulation changes, or any other relevant information your business needs to stay successful.

Additionally, we’re a Responsible Care certified partner, meaning we’re committed to providing you with the best service for your logistics and transportation management while staying committed to sustainability practices.

At Trinity Logistics, we’re not your typical 3PL. We’re invested in your business and are here to help your business succeed. If you’re looking for a like-minded logistics partner to help you overcome some of your industry’s challenges, we’re here and ready to help.

SEE HOW TRINITY CAN HELP YOUR CHEMICAL BUSINESS