Danger in the air

Few airline staffers are trained fully to even know what constitutes ‘dangerous goods’ (DG) - chemicals, explosives, gases, flammable liquids/solids, oxidisers, etc - let alone what emergency procedures to follow if disaster strikes.
And disasters do strike. In 1996, 110 passengers of a ValuJet flight lost their lives in the marshes off Florida when oxygen generators on board exploded. The vibrations of the plane led to a chemical reaction which generated so much heat it burnt the floor of the plane, which then burnt the controlling cables. The plane crashed within nine minutes of take-off.
Although the DGCA website has an Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Rules, 2003, few airlines follow it stringently. One private airline, allege sources, even carried LPG cylinders on their planes during the wedding of a relative of their top honcho! Cargo agents also work hand-in-glove with shippers and don’t declare DG. ‘‘There was this case where a shipper wanted to export camphor. The agent told him to declare it as material for havan. He did and it was sent across. There have been cases where bleaches, considered corrosive, are sent as ‘laundry products’,’’ informs one source.
Part of the problem, say experts, is the ever-expanding list of DG, with new products and chemicals being developed.
18/11/07 Shobha John/Times of India

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Categories: Safety Nov 2007