SofemaOnline considers the Importance of Encouraging Employee Engagement with the Organisations Safety Management System.

Introduction

The success of SMS is influenced by the willingness of the organisation to reach out and embrace new working methods and change processes, to develop positive changes in organisational and individual culture. If you can do this, improvements in organisational efficiency will usually lead to significant cost savings.

Dangerous goods are “articles or substances which are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment” and which are covered under the IATA regulations. IATA DGR Appendix A.
 
Many everyday items and substances can be dangerous when transported by air.
Due to the variations in temperature and pressure during a flight, some of these items may leak or break, generating toxic fumes or possibly starting a fire.

Employees who may come into contact with dangerous goods need to be aware of the nature of such goods, their potential for causing incidents and accidents and how they should be dealt with.
 
In addition anyone processing Passengers or performing security checks on them need to have a high level of awareness and to be vigilant regarding the potential for passengers to unknowingly carry Dangerous Goods on their person or to place in the personal baggage in the aircraft cargo compartment.

If you are involved in any way with the shipping of Dangerous Goods then you require training, even if you are not personally responsible you may still require Dangerous goods awareness training. (See the following Job Role definition for persons who require DG Awareness Training).
 
- Operators and Ground Handling Agent's staff accepting Cargo or Mail (other than Dangerous Goods) For Operators who Carry DG (Fly with DG)
- Operators and Ground Handling Agent's staff involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo or mail and baggage. For Operators who Carry DG (Fly with DG)
- Passenger Handling Staff – applicable to both DG and Non DG Carriers (Fly & No Fly DG)
- Flight Crew Members, Load Masters, Load Planners and Flight Operations Officers / Flight Dispatchers (Where the operator carries Dangerous Goods (Fly with DG)
- Flight Crew Members (other than Flight Crew Members previously identified) – applicable to both DG and Non DG Carriers (Fly & No Fly DG)
- Security Staff who deal with the screening of passengers and crew and their baggage and cargo or mail (e.g. Security screeners, their supervisors and staff involved in implementing security procedures.
- Operators and Ground Handling Agent's staff accepting Cargo or Mail (other than Dangerous Goods) For Operators who “DO NOT” Carry DG (No Fly with DG)
- Operators and Ground Handling Agent's staff involved in the handling, storage and loading of cargo or mail and baggage.
- Flight Crew Members, Load Masters, Load Planners and Flight Operations Officers / Flight Dispatchers (Where the operator does not carry Dangerous Goods (No Fly)

Coming soon on SofemaOnline: Dangerous Goods Awareness Training

All online trainings are designed to provide essential Dangerous Goods (DG) Training for all groups of staff who need to have an awareness of all aspects of DG by Air, relevant to the specific Job Requirements.

Each Training consists of “Mandatory” required aspects together with additional relevant awareness and guidance information.

When we consider Dangerous Goods (DG) in aviation the primary concern is the Safety of Passengers, Crew plus the Aircraft as of course the actual Goods which are being transported.

If DG is mishandled in some way it can cause delays and disruption, it may even cause a serious and ultimately fatal accident with the potential loss of even of the aircraft and occupants.

What do we mean by DG?

Essentially we may consider Dangerous Goods are articles or substances capable of posing a risk to a person’s health, safety, property or the environment.

As well as Dangerous Goods which form part of the aircraft basic operational configuration and as such do not need to be declared, Dangerous Goods are also carried on-board the aircraft in passenger or crew carry-on baggage, as well as in the cargo holds as checked passenger baggage, or carried and declared as Dangerous Goods in cargo.