(Q) What are the UN numbers?

(A) United Nations (UN) Numbers are four-digit numbers used world-wide in international commerce and transportation to identify hazardous chemicals or classes of hazardous materials. These numbers generally range between 0000 and 3500 and are ideally preceded by the letters "UN" (for example, "UN1005") to avoid confusion with other number codes.

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UN numbers are required for the shipment of hazardous materials. You have probably seen placards that bear a UN number on railway cars, trucks, shipping containers etc.

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(Q) What are bulk dangerous goods?

(A) Cargoes which are intended to be carried without any intermediate form of containment, in a cargo space which is a structural part of a ship, or a tank permanently fixed in or on ship.

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Bulk dangerous goods include for example fuels held in a tanker, bulk solids (e.g. sulphur) held in large holds, etc.

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(Q) What are packaged dangerous goods?

(A) The complete product of the packing operation, consisting of the packaging and its contents prepared for transport.

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Packaged dangerous goods include for example IBCs, LPG cylinders, isotainers, freight containers, etc.

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(Q) Who is responsible for making sure that the hazardous materials are labeled properly?

(A) Ultimately, responsibility rests with the shipper. As part of the shipper's review, the shipper needs to follow these rules:

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1) Make sure that the material is not forbidden for shipping

2) Classify the material by Hazard Class

3) For materials with more than one hazard, select the primary and subsidiary hazards

4) Choose the "Not Otherwise Specified" (or "N.O.S.") shipping name which best characterizes the material

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Examples of N.O.S. names are the generic chemical name (such as "Alcohols, toxic"), the generic use of the chemical (such as "Refrigerant Gas") or the description of the generic hazards of the material (such as "Flammable Liquid")

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(Q) If a material has more than one hazard, which label should I use?

(A) The rules of "Hazard Precedence" define which hazard must take the lead. For example, poisonous gas hazards (Class 2.3) takes precedence over the corrosive hazard described in Class 8.

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(Q) Does a UN 4G fiberboard box require recertification or disposal if over two years have passed since its marked date of manufacture?

(A) No, periodic retest requirements apply to the manufacture of a design type, not to empty or filled packagings which are in use, or are in inventory awaiting use. Once manufactured in conformance with the marked standard (e.g., UN 4G), the packaging is suitable for use as long as it continues to conform to that standard.

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(Q) When are Hazardous Materials most hazardous?

(A) When they're released! The scene of an incident can be chaotic, so the right actions may not always be obvious.

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(Q) What is segregation in a CTU?
(A) Segregation means the process of physically keeping dangerous goods separate from other dangerous goods that react dangerously together during transportation. These are called “incompatible” dangerous goods.
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As far as shipping container packers are concerned, this means not loading “incompatible” dangerous goods in the same shipping container.
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Some types of dangerous goods react violently with some other types of dangerous goods. Sometimes even dangerous goods in the same hazard class (particularly those in Class 8) may react dangerously together. It is prohibited to pack incompatible dangerous goods in the same shipping container. There are strict rules in IMDG 7.2 for determining which dangerous goods are prohibited in the same shipping container.
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(Q) When to carry out a segregation check for a shipping container
(A) A segregation check must be carried out before loading commences if it is proposed to load more than one UN Number into a shipping container. The IMDG Code must first be checked to ensure that the IMDG segregation rules do not prohibit the particular combination of dangerous goods in the same shipping container.
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Ships will reject shipping containers that breach the IMDG Code.
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(Q) Who should carry out the segregation check?
(A) It is always the party who is in charge of loading the shipping container who must carry out the segregation check. A shipper who has sent his dangerous goods to a consolidator has no control over what is loaded into the shipping container. It is always the packer’s duty to check segregation, and by signing the packing certificate the packer confirms among other things that no incompatible dangerous goods are in the shipping container.
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(Q) What are the methods for checking the segregation?
(A) The only method of checking segregation is to follow the segregation rules of the IMDG Code.
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(Q) How can I find if I can lift a container safely?

(A) By looking in the "Cargo Securing Manual" and find out the "Maximum Allowable Lashing Limits" or by Using the "Rule of Thumb" for Containers

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(Q) What is the Rule of thumb for containers?

(A)

1) Find the total weight of the container (container plus contents)
2) Find the amount of eyebolts on top of the container
3) Then divide the total weight by the number of eyebolts
4) This will give you the S.W.L. for each wire strop (Lashings)

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(Q) How do you work out the MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE LASHING LIMIT?

(A) You do the same as for the containers and use the "RULE OF THUMB"

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(Q) What's the rule of thumb for the S.W.L. for the eyebolts on the deck of a ship?

(A) Depending on the amount of eyebolts you have for strapping a load down with you would take port side eyebolts and double the S.W.L. for it, it has to take the full load with the vessel sheers to and fro

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i.e. containers total weight including contents is 10 tonnes, it has 2 eyebolts on the port side and 2 on the starboard side10 tonnes divide by 2 equal 5 tonnes, therefore each wire sling/strop and each eyebolt must have a S.W.L. of 5 tonnes

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(Q) What checks would you do on a container?

(A)

1) That there is no damage to the eyebolts on top/bottom of the container

2) That the doors closed correctly

3) That it had a S.W.L. stamped on it

4) There was no rust on the container especially on the strengthener and eyebolts

5) It had a padlock

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(Q) Would you take a container with some damage to it?

(A) Never be tempted to take a container with any damage

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(Q) What precautions before taking a container onboard a vessel?

(A)

1) Preferably stow the container in the fore and aft direction
2) Do not stow the containers so that they exceed over the ships side
3) Flat stow on deck
4) Safe access for personnel on deck
5) Securing points at top and bottom of container (Eyebolts at bottom of container to prevent slipping and eyebolts at the

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6) Only stow containers one high
7) Do not impose excessive strain on the container (no extra strapping)
8) Deck or hatches not overstressed (Information from Cargo Securing Manual)
9) The lashings for containers should have some arrangement for tightening (Bottle screws)

10) You must have protection for ventilation and breathing pipes on deck
11) Make sure the container has a valid container packaging certificate

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(Q) Working with containers/pipes and while loading a ship, how can you make sure the shore party do not get hurt?

(A) By using a platform so they walk clear of the container/pipes before they are lifted

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(Q) A container is a sealed unit, could a person get harmed going inside one?

(A) Yes if the container had been carrying some toxic chemicals they could easily be overcome with fumes

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(Q) How do you prevent this?

(A) By making sure the container was well ventilated and well cleaned/washed

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(Q) What safety features would you make personnel use while working on top of containers?

(A)

1) Hard hat
2) Steel-toe cap boots
3) Safety harnesses
4) Protective clothing
5) Gloves
6) And if need be Safety glasses

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(Q) Where will you get information about loading and securing goods inside a container?

(A) The IMO/ILO/UN/ECE Guidelines for packing of cargo transport units (CTU's)

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(Q) How could you identify the symbols used for dangerous goods on a container?

(A) These are listed in the Dangerous Goods and tell you what the substance is

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(Q) What information can you get from the shell of a container?

(A)

1) The S.W.L. of it
2) The tare
3) Gross weight
4) Safe Approval Plate, If the container has dangerous goods inside it

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(Q) What is a "Safe Approval Plate" used for?

(A) To make sure you don't overload the container

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