AIRPORT EMPLOYEE Dangerous Goods Handling and Regulations 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods (SDDG)?

A customs form for international shipments
A mandatory document completed by the shipper certifying the dangerous goods comply with regulations (Correct answer)
An insurance form required by the airline
A passenger declaration for carrying personal medications

Correct answer: A mandatory document completed by the shipper certifying the dangerous goods comply with regulations

The SDDG is a mandatory legal document completed by the shipper declaring that dangerous goods are correctly identified, classified, packed, labeled, and marked.

The Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods (SDDG), also known as the Shipper's Declaration, is a mandatory document that must accompany all dangerous goods shipments by air. The shipper (sender) must complete the SDDG, certifying that the goods have been properly identified, classified, packed, marked, and labeled in accordance with applicable regulations. The declaration is a legal document, and providing false information is a criminal offense in most jurisdictions. Airlines and handlers check the SDDG against physical packages to verify compliance before accepting the shipment.

Question 2: What does the orange diamond-shaped placard with a number '3' indicate on a cargo container?

Class 3 Radioactive materials inside
Class 3 Flammable Liquids inside (Correct answer)
Third-priority perishable cargo
Cargo requiring temperature monitoring

Correct answer: Class 3 Flammable Liquids inside

An orange diamond placard with the number 3 is the ICAO/UN hazard label for Class 3 Flammable Liquids.

Dangerous goods labels are diamond-shaped and color-coded by hazard class. The Class 3 Flammable Liquids label features an orange or red diamond with a flame symbol and the number '3' in the lower corner. This label must be affixed to all packages containing flammable liquids such as paints, adhesives, fuel, and alcohols above certain concentrations. Recognition of these labels is essential for airport ground staff to ensure proper handling, segregation, and emergency response for cargo containing dangerous goods.

Question 3: Lithium batteries are categorized under which UN dangerous goods class?

Class 2 — Gases
Class 4 — Flammable Solids
Class 9 — Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods (Correct answer)
Class 3 — Flammable Liquids

Correct answer: Class 9 — Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods

Lithium batteries (both lithium metal and lithium ion) are classified as Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods under UN regulations.

Lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods. Lithium metal batteries are UN 3090 (when shipped alone) or UN 3091 (packed with or contained in equipment), while lithium ion batteries are UN 3480 (when shipped alone) or UN 3481 (packed with or contained in equipment). They present fire risk due to potential thermal runaway. Regulations for lithium batteries on aircraft are particularly stringent due to numerous incidents of fires in cargo holds, and include quantity limits, state-of-charge limits, and restrictions on certain damaged or recalled batteries.

Question 4: What is the meaning of 'CAO' in dangerous goods air transport?

Cargo Acceptance Operations
Cargo Aircraft Only (Correct answer)
Combined Air Operations
Civil Aviation Office

Correct answer: Cargo Aircraft Only

CAO stands for Cargo Aircraft Only — it indicates a dangerous goods item that may only be transported on all-cargo aircraft, not on passenger aircraft.

CAO (Cargo Aircraft Only) is a designation in the ICAO Technical Instructions and IATA DGR indicating that a dangerous goods shipment may only be carried on all-cargo aircraft and is forbidden on passenger aircraft. The CAO designation applies to substances that pose too great a risk to be transported in proximity to passengers and their baggage. CAO shipments are subject to different quantity limits and packaging requirements than items permitted on passenger aircraft (PAX). Ground staff must verify that CAO-labeled shipments are never loaded onto passenger flights.

Question 5: How should a dangerous goods package be stored in relation to food or animal products in the cargo hold?

Adjacent to food items to simplify inventory management
Below food items so any leakage falls away
Separated by a minimum distance or partition as specified in the segregation requirements (Correct answer)
Mixed with food items is acceptable for Class 9 items only

Correct answer: Separated by a minimum distance or partition as specified in the segregation requirements

Segregation requirements in the ICAO Technical Instructions specify minimum separation distances between dangerous goods and food, animal, and live cargo.

The ICAO Technical Instructions include detailed segregation requirements that specify how dangerous goods must be separated from each other and from other types of cargo. Dangerous goods must be segregated from food, food products, animal feed, and live animals by minimum distances or physical partitions. The specific requirements vary by hazard class and the quantity involved. Ground staff and cargo loaders must verify the aircraft loading plan to ensure proper segregation is maintained and that incompatible dangerous goods are also separated from each other.

Question 6: What action must be taken if a lithium battery-powered device begins smoking, overheating, or emitting a burning smell in the cargo hold?

Inform the captain at the destination airport
Declare an emergency, follow the lithium battery fire emergency procedures, and use halon or dry chemical extinguisher (Correct answer)
Open the cargo hold door to ventilate the smoke
Reduce cabin altitude to contain the reaction

Correct answer: Declare an emergency, follow the lithium battery fire emergency procedures, and use halon or dry chemical extinguisher

Lithium battery thermal runaway in a cargo hold is a critical emergency requiring immediate declaration and use of appropriate fire suppression methods.

A lithium battery thermal runaway event in an aircraft cargo hold is a critical emergency. The flight crew must immediately declare an emergency with ATC, follow the aircraft emergency checklist for lithium battery fires, and consider whether immediate landing is required. In accessible cargo areas, halon or dry chemical extinguishers may be used, but water can actually accelerate certain lithium reactions. The risk of toxic gas release and rapid fire spread makes lithium battery fires among the most dangerous in-flight emergencies. Post-incident, the FAA and airline must be notified and a full investigation conducted.

AIRPORT EMPLOYEE Dangerous Goods Handling and Regulations 2

What is the Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods (SDDG)?