All Allegedly Violated Hazardous Materials Regulations

The FAA is proposing civil penalties ranging from $57,400 to $63,000 against three companies for allegedly violating Hazardous Materials Regulations.

In each case, the FAA alleges the shipments were not accompanied by shipping papers to indicate the hazardous nature of their contents and were not marked, labeled or packed in accordance with the Hazardous Materials Regulations. The FAA also alleges the packages were not adequate for shipping, and failed to protect against a release of hazardous material into the environment under normal transportation conditions. Additionally, the FAA alleges the companies failed to provide emergency response information and ensure their employees had received required training in packaging and shipping hazardous materials.

The cases are as follows:

Mattoon Rural King Supply, Inc. of Mattoon, IL; $63,000. The FAA alleges that on July 1, 2013, Mattoon Rural King offered to UPS two 2.5-gallon plastic containers of herbicide for shipment by air from Mattoon, IL, to Wetonka, SD. Workers at the UPS sort facility in Louisville, KY. discovered the package leaking. Herbicides are considered to be a flammable liquid.

Mattoon Rural King is scheduled to meet with the FAA in mid-October to discuss the case.

MidContinental Chemical Company Inc. of Olathe, KS and its subsidiary, MCC Chemical Services, LLC of Hammond LA: $63,000. The FAA alleges that on June 13, 2013, MCC offered to UPS two 3-ounce containers of flammable petroleum distillates and two 3-ounce containers of flammable Kerosene for shipment by air from Hammond, LA to Olathe, KS. Workers at the UPS sort facility in Louisville, KY, discovered some of the Kerosene had leaked.

MidContinental is scheduled to meet with the FAA in mid-October to discuss the case.

Aeroplus Interiors, Inc. of Rosharon, TX: $57,400. The FAA alleges that on March 25, 2014, an Aeroplus employee offered three undeclared packages containing metal cans of flammable JetGlo Contrail White Aircraft Paint for shipment aboard FedEx aircraft from Rosharon to Laredo, TX. FedEx employees at the company’s sorting facility at Fort Worth Alliance Airport discovered the paint after one of the packages began leaking. Under Department of Transportation regulations, this type of paint is considered to be a hazardous material because it is flammable.

Aeroplus Interiors has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

FMI: www.faa.gov