The Hindu Business Line : Screening for personnel handling dangerous cargo

THE 45th edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) manual brought out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has included screening for personnel handling dangerous cargo also.

These regulations are effective January 1, 2004. Earlier, only personnel handling passenger cargo were trained and certified to identify dangerous goods.

Mr B. Govindarajan, Chief Instructor, Air India Staff College, and member of the IATA's DGR training taskforce, said the "air eligibility marking'' had become a must on packaging material. He was speaking at the annual DGR update organised by the Air Cargo Agents Association of India.

For a long time transportation of infectious substances and diagnostic specimens had been classified under the risk category. With pressure from the medical fraternity this category is now classified as dangerous goods.

Mr Govindarajan said that on January 19, 34 countries had signed the Montreal Convention of 1999, intended to replace the Warsaw Convention of 1929 and six of its Protocols. However, India has not ratified the Montreal Convention and is still bound by the Warsaw Convention. The damage limitation would be different for exports and imports.