Transporting Dangerous Goods
Posted by Howard Trott on Wednesday, May 1, 2019 Under: Business Courier
Every year, millions of parcels are sent within the UK and to destinations all over the world. While many packages are completely innocuous, a proportion have the potential to pose a health and safety risk and have security implications.
There are certain goods that people would identify immediately as being a potentially dangerous and it wouldn't come as a surprise to find them on a prohibited list. Guns, human remains, meat, living creatures and explosive materials are all likely candidates to fall into the prohibited category when it comes to international parcel delivery.
Other prohibited goods are perhaps not quite as obvious to spot. Money, stamps which haven't been franked, lottery tickets, wine and aerosols are all goods that are prohibited by some shipping companies. Anyone sending prohibited goods with a carrier, whether they realise it is banned or not, risks having their consignment cancelled immediately.
Some international shipping companies will carry items classed as dangerous goods, but often there are a number of conditions attached. You will almost certainly have to pay a premium for sending goods that are potentially dangerous and they will have to be packed and labelled correctly.
The rules differ from courier to courier and also depend on which country the goods are heading for, and so it is always recommended to seek advice before booking a delivery to avoid inconvenience and disappointment.
Never be tempted to send potentially dangerous goods without declaring them in the hope they will pass through undetected. There are major health and safety implications and if for example the item is flammable and you don't realise, you are putting other people in danger.
Customs in every country will differ and so even if a certain item is allowed, it may need to be labelled in a certain way or come with specific documents. If your documents are not in order there is the risk the package will be sent back and the international courier will be powerless to do anything about it.
Always send an email or ring the shipping company you are using in advance if you have any doubts about the goods you are sending. A responsible company will be happy to help in whatever way they can.
In : Business Courier
Tags: transporting dangerous goods warrington