SUBJ: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS QUESTIONS/ANSWERS (99-2)
1. THE FOLLOWING PROVIDES GUIDANCE TO AMC TRANSPORTATION FUNCTIONS. NON-AMC UNITS SHOULD CONTACT SERVICE/COMMAND FOCAL POINT LISTED IN AFJMAN 24-204 OR COMMAND DIRECTIVES FOR GUIDANCE.
2. QUESTIONS/ANSWERS:
A. QUESTION: AFJMAN 24-204, ATTACHMENT 14 STATES TO MARK HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ACCORDING TO MIL-STD-129, MARKING FOR SHIPMENT AND STORAGE.WE ARE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING THIS DIRECTIVE. CAN YOU HELP?
ANSWER: MIL-STD-129N, STANDARD PRACTICE FOR MILITARY MARKING, HAS REPLACED THE "M" VERSION (WHICH CONSISTED OF 4 PARTS). ALSO THERE IS MIL-HDBK-129, MILITARY MARKING (TO BE USED AS GUIDANCE ONLY). THESE PUBLICATIONS MAY BE ACCESSED ON THE INTERNET AT: HTTP://WWW.DODSSP.DAPS.MIL.
B. QUESTION: WE RECEIVED A SHIPMENT THAT IS "SHRINK WRAPPED". IS THIS CONSIDERED AN "OVERPACK"? HOW MUST THE SHIPMENT BE MARKED AND LABELED?
ANSWER: IF THE SHRINK-WRAP IS NOT TRANSPARENT, PREVENTING READY IDENTIFICATION OF REQUIRED HAZARDOUS COMMUNICATION INFORMATION (MARKING AND LABELING), THEN THE SHIPMENT CONFIGURATION WOULD BE CONSIDERED AN "OVERPACK". THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHRINK-WRAP MUST BE MARKED/LABELED AS REQUIRED BY AFJMAN 24-204 AND INCLUDE THE STATEMENT, "INNER PACKAGES COMPLY WITH PRESCRIBED SPECIFICATIONS" .HOWEVER, IF THE SHRINK-WRAP IS TRANSPARENT, ALLOWING THE HAZCOM INFORMATION TO BE CLEARLY VISIBLE, THEN MARKING/LABELING THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHRINK-WRAP IS NOT WRONG, JUST NOT NECESSARY.
C. QUESTION: WE RECEIVED A SHIPMENT OF EXPLOSIVES WHICH THE NEW DOES NOT AGREE WITH WHAT IS SHOWN IN T.O. 11A-1-46. THE SHIPPER SAYS THE NEW IS CORRECT. ALSO, WE PERIODICALLY RECEIVE SHIPMENTS NOT LISTED IN THE "DASH-46". HOW DO WE CHECK THESE SHIPMENTS?
ANSWER: IT IS THE SHIPPER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CORRECTLY PREPARE AND DOCUMENT EACH SHIPMENT. NORMALLY, INSPECTION IS LIMITED TO REQUIREMENTS OF AFJMAN 24-204. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS THAT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENTS(AIRCRAFT PARKING, DIP CLEARANCES, PORT-TO-PORT CLEARANCES, ETC.)ADDITIONAL VERIFICATION OF INFORMATION MAY BE NECESSARY. AMC AERIAL PORTS USE THE JOINT HAZARD CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM BECAUSE IT INCLUDES ALL EXPLOSIVES LISTED BY NSN; NOT JUST THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH A SPECIFIC SERVICE. THE WEIGHT SHOWN IN KEY 16 OF THE SHIPPER'S DECLARATION WILL BE THE "TRANSPORTATION NEW" AS SHOWN THE JHCS.
D. WE HAVE A LARGE SHIPMENT OF "EXPLOSIVE, BLASTING, TYPE E"UN0322, CLASS /DIVISION 1.5D. WHAT RESTRICTIONS CONCERNING AIRCRAFT PARKING AND STORAGE APPLY? ALSO, WE DON'T HAVE THE "1.5" PLACARDS CALLED FOR IN AFJMAN 24-204, ATTACHMENT 16.
ANSWER: AFMAN 91-201, EXPLOSIVES SAFETY STANDARDS, PARA 3.8.5 STATES CLASS /DIVISION 1.5 EXPLOSIVES, "ARE STORED AS THOUGH THEY WERE CLASS DIVISION 1.1". INTRANSIT STORAGE AND EXPLOSIVES CARGO AIRCRAFT LOADING/UNLOADING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE SAME LOCATION APPROVED FOR CLASS/DIVISION 1.1. FIRE SYMBOLS ARE TO BE USED ON AIR FORCE INSTALLATIONS AT "HOT SPOTS" AND STORAGE SITES; THEREFORE, USE A FIRE SYMBOL 1 IN PLACE OF THE PLACARD. SINCE CLASS/DIVISION 1.5 IS SO INFREQUENTLY MOVED BY AIR, RECOMMEND YOU COORDINATE THE USE OF "1.1" PLACARD WITH HOST SAFETY OFFICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR ONBASE MOVEMENT BETWEEN STORAGE LOCATION AND AIRCRAFT PARKING.
E. QUESTION: WE HAVE SEVERAL VEHICLES TO BE SHIPPED VIA CHANNEL AIRLIFT. THE QUESTION HAS COME UP ABOUT ENTERING AIR BAGS IN KEY 19 OF THE SHIPPER'S DECLARATION AS A SECONDARY HAZARD OF VEHICLES. IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR IDENTIFYING AIR BAGS IN KEY 19?
ANSWER: AIR BAG MODULES INSTALLED IN A MOTOR VEHICLE OR IN COMPLETED VEHICLE COMPONENTS, SUCH AS STEERING COLUMNS OR DOOR PANELS, ARE NOT REGULATED BY AFJMAN 24-204. HOWEVER, ENTRY IN KEY 19 AS SECONDARY INFORMATION IS NOT REASON FOR FRUSTRATION.
F. QUESTION: WE RECEIVED A SHIPMENT OF A SEALANT WITHOUT A SHIPPER'S DECLARATION. THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHIPPING CONTAINER IS MARKED "75F" FOR THE FLASHPOINT. THE SHIPPER SAYS IT IS NOT HAZARDOUS. MUST THE SHIPMENT BE REPACKAGED AS A FLAMMABLE LIQUID?"
ANSWER: WE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER FOR A MSDS. THE MSDS, FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARD DATA INDICATES THE ITEM, A SEALANT, DOES HAVE A FLASHPOINT OF 75F, HOWEVER, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED NOT TO BE A LIQUID AND DOES NOT MEET IGNITABILITY REQUIREMENTS TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A FLAMMABLE SOLID. THEREFORE, THE MSDS STATES, "IT IS NOT REGULATED AS A FLAMMABLE MATERIAL FOR TRANSPORTATION." THE DD FORM 1387, MILITARY SHIPPPING LABEL SHOULD BE ANNOTATED "NON-HAZARDOUS" IAW AFJMAN 24-204, PARA 1.10.3.
3. MESSAGES WHICH SHOULD BE A PART OF THE AMC HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INFORMATION FILE (HMIF):
A. HMIF 97-1: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS (HAZMAT) INSPECTION
B. HMIF 97-2: AIRLIFT OF BOATS
C. HMIF 97-3: INSPECTION OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AND ETIOLOGIC AGENTS
D. HMIF 98-1: SUPPORT EQUIPMENT IDENTIFIED AS LEAKERS
4. POC IS MR. DEL HAMILTON, HQ AMC/DONCO, DSN 576-3967. QUESTIONS MAY ALSO BE SENT BY FAX (DSN: 576-3854, COMM: 618-256-3854) OR EMAIL: DELBERT.HAMILTON@SCOTT.AF.MIL (ALL LOWER CASE). Q/A MESSAGES MAY BE ACCESSED BY THE INTERNET: HTTP://AMC.SCOTT.AF.MIL/DO/DON/HAZMAT.HTM (ALL LOWER CASE). THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH AFMC-LSO/LOP.