IATA has published a summary of their principal changes in the 56th edition of its Dangerous Goods Regulations, which takes effect as of January 1, 2015. Most of the changes match those included in ICAO’s Technical Instructions, 2015-2016 edition.
2.2 Hidden Dangerous Goods A note has been added under paragraph 2.2.2 to bring to the attention of freight forwarders, ground handling agents and operators that the presence of diamond-shaped pictograms on packages may indicate the presence of dangerous goods. These diamond-shaped pictograms are required by the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) and form part of the hazard communication system for supply and use.
2.3 Dangerous Goods Carried by Passengers or Crew The provisions applicable to portable electronic devices, including medical devices containing lithium batteries and spare batteries have been restructured to set the requirements out in three parts:
1. Spare lithium batteries above a specified size, which are permitted only with the approval of the operator, and that must be in carry-on baggage
2. Lithium battery powered electronic devices containing batteries above a specified size, which are permitted only with the approval of the operator
3. Portable electronic devices (PED) and spare batteries for such devices where the batteries are at or below the specified size which are permitted without operator approval. PED may be in checked or carry- on baggage. All spare batteries must be in carry-on baggage.
2.4 Transport of Dangerous Goods by Post The allowance for radioactive material in the post has been revised to limit the excepted packages to UN 2910 and UN 2911 only. The radioactive material must not have a subsidiary risk and the packages must be marked and labelled as specified.
4.2 List of Dangerous Goods Amendments to the list of dangerous goods include: addition on 17 new entries for adsorbed gases, addition of a new entry for Capacitor, asymmetric (UN3508), deletion of shipping names, Air bag modules (UN0503) and Seat-belt pretensioners (UN3268) that are replaced by Safety devices, pyrotechnic(UN0503) and Safety devices electrically initiated (UN3268), amend entry UN3090, Lithium metal batteries to show “forbidden” on board passenger aircraft columns I/J.
The Special Provisions section has been revised and new provisions have also been added. Some packing instructions have been revised and reformatted to align to the format of other packing instructions. New packing instructions were added for the new entries for adsorbed gases. The packing instructions for lithium batteries have been revised to clarify the number of lithium batteries in a package.
10. Radioactive Material There are extensive changes to the provisions for radioactive materials to bring in the revisions arising from the adoption of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. SSR-6. The changes include revisions to the provisions for radioactive materials, excepted packages, fissile excepted material and new requirements for uranium hexafluoride in excepted packages.
With best regards, Airport College Team