Transporting HAZMAT materials in today’s COVID-19 world

Today, COVID-19 test sites are setting up all across the US and other countries in parking lots of all kinds of businesses. Pharmacies, including Walmart and Walgreens, are creating drive-up testing sites as well. However, the test samples collected will be handled and shipped by people that may be transporting infectious substances for the first time. These shippers need to ensure the test samples are handled appropriately and shipped to comply with transport regulations.

Infectious substances are classified as Dangerous Goods and therefore certain packaging and shipping regulations must be strictly followed. The Coronavirus is classified in Category B in the US, which means “they are not generally capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans. Category B biological substances are relatively easy to transport in a compliant manner.” The World Health Organization classifies COVID-19 samples as Category A, which means they are life-threatening and governed by stricter regulations.

If the samples are shipped in Category B, they don’t require a Shippers Declaration for Dangerous Goods to be created, and there is no hazmat surcharge. Private or contract carriers must follow certain requirements for shipping these goods, such as making sure the test samples are shipped frozen or between 2-8 Degrees C. If samples are shipped via standard carriers like UPS, shipping requirements are stricter, and workers must be trained specifically to handle these shipments.

US DOT Agencies regulate the surface transportation of hazardous materials, but with COVID-19 some of their regulations are eased. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have waived many restrictions for training, hours of service requirements, and commercial drivers’ licenses (CDL). However, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requires applicants for CDLs to have a background check every five years if the applicant is going to be driving hazardous materials.

What do transporters need to do today to ship hazardous materials/dangerous goods?

Hazardous materials shipments must be accompanied by clear documentation that includes the bill of lading, hazardous waste manifests, and a description of the material being transported. This description consists of the weight and quantity of the materials along with a description of the packaging.

Shipments of dangerous goods must include emergency response information on the shipping document. This information details procedures that need to happen should an incident occur. Description of how to prevent fires and what to do in case of a leak are often included on this documentation.

Transporters of dangerous goods need to use technology that provides visibility into shipments while in transit so that shippers will know where their products are at all times. Having visibility of orders across channels, partners, regions, and systems and across the entire lifecycle of the order from entry through proof-of-delivery helps to ensure that the shipment is safe and being transported correctly. Alerts can be created if an issue in the shipment arises and customers can be informed. Having visibility of a shipment in transit can alert customers in real-time to where their orders are at all times.

If the supply chains of all parties involved are connected, communication and collaboration can be heightened between carriers, shippers, manufacturers, and others connected to the network. Information is gathered from transactions across the network, throughout the shipment process, and from those connected. It can be shared, analyzed, and measured for performance and continuous improvement initiatives.

During these trying times, it is crucial that viral samples are shipped to testing labs without delay. However, shippers must be aware of and comply with the regulations set forth by the CDC and government agencies to ensure safe transport – for the samples and for the people who carry them.