All Allegedly Violated Hazardous Materials Regulations

The FAA is proposing civil penalties ranging from $54,000 to $66,000 against five 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 companies failed to provide emergency response information and failed to ensure their employees had received the required hazardous materials training.

The cases are as follows:

$66,000 against Quaker City Plating of Whittier, CA. The FAA alleges that on March 17, 2014, Quaker City shipped a box containing five 1-gallon containers of paint on a FedEx cargo flight to Brunswick, GA. Employees at the FedEx package sorting facility in Jacksonville, FL discovered the shipment was leaking. Paint is a flammable liquid.Quaker City has requested to meet with the FAA to discuss the case.

$65,000 against Freedom Manufacturing LLC, of Fremont, Ohio. The FAA alleges that on April 28, 2014, Freedom Manufacturing offered to FedEx a box containing six smaller packages, each holding approximately 1,000 bullets, for shipment by air to Key West, FL. Workers at the FedEx package sorting facility discovered the package. Bullets are explosives. Freedom Manufacturing has requested to meet with the FAA to discuss the case.

$57,400 against International Dental Supply (IDS) of Hialeah, FL. The FAA alleges that on January 9, 2014, IDS shipped a package containing 20 eight-ounce bottles of acrylic, which is a hazardous flammable liquid, on a UPS cargo flight to Puerto Rico. Workers at the UPS package sorting facility in San Juan discovered the shipment was leaking. The FAA alleges IDS did not package the bottles to prevent breakage or leakage. IDS has requested to meet with the FAA to discuss the case.

$54,000 against Saudi Chem Crete Co., Ltd. of Saudi Arabia. The FAA alleges that on November 4, 2012, Saudi Chem Crete offered to UPS two 1-gallon containers and two 1-quart containers of epoxy resin, a corrosive liquid, for shipment by air from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Elmendorf, Texas. Workers at the UPS package sorting facility in Louisville, KY discovered the shipment. The FAA alleges the package’s contents exceeded the maximum amount of epoxy resin that can be shipped on board cargo aircraft. Saudi Chem Crete has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

$54,000 against Passport Health of Scottsdale, AZ.  The FAA alleges that on October 30, 2013, Passport Health offered to UPS three 2.5-ounce containers of flammable, liquid hand sanitizer for shipment by air. Workers at the UPS package sorting facility in Louisville, KY discovered the shipment. Passport Health has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA's enforcement letter to respond to the agency.

FMI: www.faa.gov