• Shippers of dangerous goods are responsible for ensuring that all aspects of the packaging requirements set out in the IATA DGR are met.

When dangerous goods are shipped via air under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR), the shipper is responsible for all aspects of packing the dangerous goods. Transporting dangerous goods by air requires safety measures beyond those that apply to other modes of transport, including:

• Quantity limits,
• Requirements for absorbent material,
• Pressure differential requirements,
• Appropriate closure procedures, and
• Specific packing instruction requirements.

Shipper responsibilities

When preparing dangerous goods for transport by air, the shipper must:

• Comply with the correct packing requirements;
• Use only the packagings specified in the List of Dangerous Goods;
• Comply with quantity limits in the List of Dangerous Goods or with the design limit for the package, whichever is more restrictive. For combination packaging, the quantity limit per inner packaging must comply with limits in the packing instruction;
• Assemble and secure all components of the packaging as intended;
• Keep external surfaces of assembled package(s) clean of contamination from the filling process and from the environment in the filling/assembly area; and
• Comply with all packing responsibilities prior to presenting the package to the operator for shipment.

The shipper must ensure that dangerous goods are placed only in approved freight containers or unit load devices.