Shipping Pesticides and Hazardous Materials
It is critically important that all faculty and staff understand and appreciate the importance of handling pesticides and hazardous materials. This is particularly relevant when public transportation is used in the transport of such items. It is the responsibility of each member of the faculty and staff who have access or responsibility for such materials to be knowledgeable of all rules and regulations pertaining to the use and transport of such materials.
Purpose
This section provides information, guidelines, and instructions for all personnel in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) engaged in, or who expect to be engaged in, shipping by common or commercial carrier or transporter of any hazardous materials or substance treated with or containing hazardous material. This includes shipments made by motor vehicle, rail car, aircraft or vessel.
Description
This policy is applicable to all CAES employees and any other individual working with or under the supervision of CAES personnel. Personnel involved in any way with hazardous materials will be familiar with and adhere to appropriate rules and regulations of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act (HMT Act). Copies of the Hazardous Materials Compliance Pocketbook will be available and maintained in the administrative offices of the respective unit.
It shall be the responsibility of each faculty member to familiarize him/herself with the appropriate HMT rules and regulations prior to the shipment of any chemical(s) or hazardous material(s) via commercial transporter. Further, it is the responsibility of each faculty member to instruct all classified personnel who are under their supervision accordingly.
Implementation
CAES personnel engaged in teaching, research or extension activities that in any way involve shipment of hazardous materials or a substance containing hazardous materials will complete the “Request for Approval to Ship Hazardous Materials” form (Appendix A). It will be signed by the first level of supervision of the individual making the shipment and by a Hazardous Materials Coordinator. A copy of the completed form will be maintained by the individual shipping the hazardous material and by the supervisor.
Responsibility
While the initial responsibility for shipping hazardous materials resides with the individual making the shipment, the final authority for making the shipment resides with the appropriate Hazardous Materials Coordinator signing the form. A trained HMC shall be designated for Athens, Griffin and Tifton.
How to Identify Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials fall into these categories (however, materials may fall into more than one category):
| CATETORY | DESCRIPTION |
| Class 1 (explosives) | Do not ship explosives under any circumstances. |
| Class 2 (gases) | Divided into three divisions as follows:
|
| Class 3 (flammable and combustible liquids) |
A flammable liquid has a flash point of not more than 60.5°C (141°F). A combustible liquid has a flash point above 60.5°C (141°F) and below 93°C (200°F). |
| Class 4 (flammable solids) |
Divided into three divisions as follows:
|
| Class 5 (oxidizers and organic peroxides) |
Divided into two divisions as follows:
|
| Class 6 (poisons) |
Divided into two divisions as follows:
|
| Class 7 (radioactive materials) |
Consists of any material having a specific radioactive activity greater than 0.002 microcuries per gram. |
| Class 8 (corrosives) |
Consists of a material, liquid or solid, that causes visible destruction or irreversible alteration to human skin or a liquid that has a severe corrosion rate on steel or aluminum. |
| Class 9 (miscellaneous) |
Consists of a material which presents a hazard during transport, but which is not included in any other hazard class (such as a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste). Do not ship anything in this category. |
| ORM-D (other regulated material) |
Consists of a material which although otherwise subject to the regulations, presents a limited hazard during transportation due to its form, quantity and packaging (consumer commodities). This includes dry ice. |
Shipping Papers Will Be Required
If the material contains hazardous substances, the letters “RQ” and the hazard class must appear either before or after the basic entry on the bill of lading.
For all materials meeting the poisonous by inhalation criteria, the words “Poison-Inhalation Hazard” and the words “Zone A” or “Zone B” for liquids, as appropriate, must be added on the shipping paper immediately following the shipping description.
The fact that a material is an elevated temperature material must be indicated in the shipping name or the word “HOT” must immediately precede the proper shipping name.
If a material is a marine pollutant, the words “Marine Pollutant” must be entered in association with the basic shipping description, only when shipped by vessel.
All hazardous material shipments must have emergency response information on or in association with the shipping papers. If the information is in association with the shipping papers, it may be in the form of the Emergency Response Guidebook, a Material Safety Data Sheet, or any other appropriate form.
A 24-hour emergency response phone number of the Hazardous Materials Coordinator must be entered on the shipping papers.
Labels
When hazard warning labels are required on packages, the shipper is required to affix the labels before offering the shipment.
The Hazardous Material Table and a ready reference to the labels required for each proper shipping name are provided in the Hazardous Materials Compliance Pocketbook.
If more than one label is indicated, the first one listed is the primary label and any others are subsidiary labels. Primary labels have a class or division number in their lower corner and subsidiary labels do not.
Package Markings
All non-bulk packaging (119 gallons or less) must be marked with the proper shipping and the four digit Un/NA identification number as shown in the Hazardous Materials Table. Most n.o.s. and other generic proper shipping names must also have the technical name(s) entered in parentheses in association with the proper shipping name. In addition, other markings may be required, such as package orientation arrows. However, two very important markings may also be required. First, if the package contains the reportable quantity of a hazardous substance, the letters “RQ” must be marked in association with the proper name. And, second, for those materials meeting the poisonous by inhalation criteria, the words “Inhalation Hazard” must appear in association with the hazard warning labels or shipping name as required.
| Form | |
| Appendix A: Request for Approval to Ship Hazardous Materials | hazmat.pdf |