Color imitation and analysis.
From lithium batteries to pressure bottles: this is how hazardous goods are classified, and why the rules are so strict
Few think about it when they check a suitcase in but airports handle large quantities of dangerous goods every day: everything from perfume and spray cans in hand baggage to industrial chemicals and lithium batteries in cargo. What they have in common is that they are subject to one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in the entire transport industry.
§Why do the rules exist?
An aircraft in the air cannot just stop and wait for help if something goes wrong. Therefore the rules for dangerous goods in air transport are significantly stricter than for, for example, road transport. The rules must ensure that dangerous substances and objects are identified, packed, marked and documented correctly so that both crew and ground handling staff know exactly what they are dealing with and how it should be handled if the worst happens.
§The nine hazard classes
The international ruleset for dangerous goods in the air — IATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) — is based on the UN's overarching system with nine hazard classes. The classes cover very different types of risk, and a shipment can easily belong to several classes at once if it is both, for example, flammable and toxic.
| Class | Type of dangerous goods |
|---|---|
| 1 | Explosives |
| 2 | Gases (under pressure, cooled or dissolved) |
| 3 | Flammable liquids |
| 4 | Flammable solids |
| 5 | Oxidising substances and organic peroxides |
| 6 | Giftige og infektiøse stoffer |
| 7 | Radioactive material |
| 8 | Corrosive substances |
| 9 | Other dangerous goods (including lithium batteries) |
§Marking and documentation
Goods classified as dangerous must be packed in approved packaging and provided with standardised hazard labels that show, by colour, symbol and text, which class the goods belong to. The shipment must also be accompanied by correctly completed documentation, which makes it possible for all links in the transport chain — from shipper via ground handling to crew — to identify the contents without having to open the packaging.
§What does it mean for you?
- 01You must be able to recognize hazard labels and warning marks on baggage and cargo.
- 02You must know when a shipment requires special placement in the cargo hold — for example away from other cargo it could react with.
- 03You must know the procedure if you discover incorrectly labeled or undeclared hazardous goods.
- 04You must have completed the relevant DGR training required for your specific role.
- 05You must know who to contact if you're unsure about a shipment.
The rules for dangerous goods are updated continuously as new technology and products come to the market. That's why DGR training is not something you take once and never think about again – it's part of the ongoing professional maintenance that comes with the job as an airport operator.