Hazardous materials can be defined as substances that are capable of posing considerable risk to health, safety as well as property particularly when transported in commerce. These materials are also referred to as ‘Hazmat’ ( Novota, 2013; Allegri, 2012; Maynard et al., 2008; Witt, 2002; Bierlein, 2001). The term encompasses hazardous substances and wastes, elevated temperature materials, marine pollutants as well as other materials that meet the criteria that define hazardous materials. H azardous materials constitute a wide array of liquids, gases and objects ranging from gasoline, batteries to firearms among others. Novota (2013) reckons that about 1 million daily movements or approximately 2.2 billions tons of regulated Hazmat occur via train, plane, vessel and truck per year. However, the transportation of hazardous materials in aviation represents a fundamental challenge ( Greenwald & Richard, 2014; Novota , 2013 ; Noll et al., 2012; Bierlein, 2001) . Packing, inspection or compliance are some of the areas that have to be addressed especially with regard to air transport. Consequently, numerous laws and regulations must be complied with for hazardous materials to be considered safe to transpor t.
Hazmat in Aviation: A Background
In the United States (U.S), the Department of Transportation (DOT) is mandated to address the challenges related to the transportation of hazardous materials. For instance, DOT ’s Hazardous Materials Program is aimed at dealing with the regulations as well as identifying and managing the risks associated with transporting hazardous materials in commerce. On the one hand, the storage and handling of hazardous materials involve considerable risks. Thus, their regulation is aimed at ensuring safety as well as minimizing numerous environmental hazards. On the other hand, the transportation of these materials increases that risk, in the process exposing more individuals as well as extensive geographical areas ( Greenwald & Richard, 2014) . These dynamics make the regulation of Hazmat vital. The DOT houses numerous modal agencies whose role is to regulate the transportation of Hazmat. For instance, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is tasked with the responsibility of regulating the shipment of Hazmat by air .
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The oversight by FAA encompasses requirements that pertain to Hazmat training, reporting, marking, storage and packaging. These regulations are applicable to air carriers, shippers, individuals as well as businesses ( Novota, 2013). The Hazmat regulations that are applied in the transport of Hazmat via air can be found in 14 C.F.R. Parts 171, 172, 173 and 175. Part 171 specifies the activities and individuals that are targeted by the regulations. It sets the criteria that are associated with not only offering but also accepting Hazmat. Further, it describes the instances that require the FAA to be notified immediately, and lastly, it determines the authorization as well as the conditions for the use international regulations and standards. Both parts 172 and 173 are concerned with shipping classifications and descriptions, packaging requirements, and training requirements. Part 175 targets air carriers and covers the regulations relate to loading, unloading as well as handling of Hazmat; the training requirements for those tasked with handling Hazmat; the Hazmat notices that have to be displayed to the public; and lastly, the situations that require discrepancy reports to be filed with the FAA.
The level of training often determines the degree of safety experienced when transporting hazardous materials that a crew receives ( Maynard et al., 2008) . The training has to encompass as many people as are involved in the preparation, storage, packing, inspection and clearance of hazardous materials. Given the scope of operations, most air transporters take a careful approach since failure to follow the strict regulations is bound to attract stiff penalties in the form of fines. These fines are aimed at being a deterrent, and therefore are unusually high. However, when compared to the risk posed, these fines are intended to discourage non-complianc e.
Training of Staff and Application of Regulations
One of the most significant challenges with regard to compliance with FAA ’s regulations is education ( Seemuth, 2004). In this regard, the training of personnel with the aim of ensuring that they understand the guidelines remains the most significant safety measure. In response to this, the FAA recommends that all handlers of Hazmat must be certified professionals who have received training from certified bodies ( Maynard et al., 2008; Bierlein, 2001) . The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management (IHMM) offers professional training according to three principal classifications. The first is the Certified Dangerous Goods Professional. This is the standard of proficiency for those that deal with the safety of international transportation of dangerous goods. The second classification is the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager. This is the standard of proficiency for those that offer advice or manage how hazardous goods are handled in specific situations. The last classification is the Certified Hazardous Materials Practitioner. This standard of proficiency is targeted at front-line workers who handle hazardous materials on a frequent basis. In this case, the professional certification of individuals handling dangerous goods is one way of ensuring proper and secure handling as well as management of Hazmat ( Greenwald & Richard, 2014) . It also enhances safety, regulatory compliance and credibility of operations. Lastly, certification can be used as an avenue for recognizing the individuals who are successful in meeting its rigorous requirements. Nevertheless, the certification program has to be fair, credible, valid, ethical and relevant.
Ultimately, the standards specified under Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) as well as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Technical Instructions are best enforced by well-trained, competent professionals who are familiar with all the rules and regulations. These regulations are aimed at offering the best parameters for safe air carriage of hazardous materials. Under both domestic and international regulations, employee training is required. Training often occurs by first selecting the personnel and training them on several modules. The main modules covered include general familiarization, general packing requirements, labeling and marking, acceptance procedures, packing instructions, storage and loading procedures, emergency response and safety procedures ( Tate, 2012; Bierlein, 2001) . All these modules are covered, and a refresher course is required at least every two years to ascertain competency on a continuous basis. Most times , i t is the employers who bear the cost of training professionals within their organization. The DOT requirements go further than just training and require that both testing and certification is carried out. Training programs should cover packaging and labeling requirements that are unique to air. They should also include documentation requirements that are unique to this mode of transportation.
All training in the handling of hazardous materials, when followed correctly, produces seasoned professionals. It is worth noting however that Title 49 regulations are complex and offer little to no room for error. The list of exceptions alone is quite extensive and requires careful preparation so as to avoid any unnecessary risks. Hazardous materials are classified according to nine classes and sub-classes. Penalties for any malpractice often run in the thousands of dollars and sometimes in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. It can be argued that investment in the infrastructure and training of personnel can be considered a reliable risk management measure in its own right ( Greenwald & Richard, 2014).
While FAA rules are the main guidelines used in the American airspace, regulations from international bodies often influence the international safety standards for the transportation of hazardous materials. The ICAO is a global governmental body which is affiliated with the UN. The agency is responsible for developing and publishing the ICAO Technical Instructions on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. These instructions offer guidelines for international handling of hazardous materials. While ICAO formulates policy, it is the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that is responsible for the implementation of these policies. In this pursuit, the body publishes the ICAO Technical Instructions in a format that is more readable ( Greenwald & Richard, 2014) . It is also i n charge of formulating the implementation guidelines to foster compliance by all stakeholders involved in the carriage of hazardous materials. Further, the IATA oversees the licensing of compliant stakeholders involved in the logistics of transporting hazardous materials.
Conclusion
T he transportation of hazardous materials in aviation undoubtedly represents a key challenge . In order to facilitate the air transport of Hazmat, several vital aspects have to be addressed. These include p acking, inspection as well as compliance. To make this a reality, numerous laws and regulations must be complied with for hazardous materials to be considered safe to transport. The handling and management of hazardous materials, as well as transport of dangerous goods in the U.S, are governed through various regulations that are published by different organizations. Further, the involvement of a network of national, state and international organizations cannot be overstated. So as to ensure public safety, the mandated professionals require the competency to not only use but also to interpret and implement the existing regulations. It is this need that necessitates training. Subsequently, professional credentials that are well developed and maintained help in validating that the professionals have the knowledge to not only correctly transport, handle and store Hazmat and follow the regulations, but also to perform the profession ’s required functions.
References
Allegri, T. (2012). Handling and management of hazardous materials and waste. Springer Science & Business Media.
Bierlein, L. W. (2001). Blunt the dangers of air hazmat. Transportation & Distribution.
Greenwald, J. H., & Richard, R. (2014). Safety and the Dangerous Goods Professional. Defense Transportation Journal, 70 (4), 20-23.
Maynard, J. L., Bell, J. E., & Johnson, A. W. (2008). Frustrated hazardous material: military and commercial training implications. Transportation Journal, 47 (1), 30-42.
Noll, G. G., Hildebrand, M. S., Schnepp, R., & Rudner, G. (2012). Hazardous Materials: Managing the Incident. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Novota, J. (2013). The FAA's Hazmat Voluntary Reporting Program: A Dilemma for Air Carriers. The Air and Space Lawyer, 26 (2), 10.
Seemuth, M. (2004). Exporting Hazmat. Air Cargo World, 94 (5), 20-21.
Tate, W. H. (2012). Evaluation of the Use of Electronic Shipping Papers for Hazardous Materials Shipments (Vol. 8) . Transportation Research Board.
Witt, C. E. (2002). A Little Learning Is Not Hazardous. Material Handling Management, 57 (6), 14-14.
