FAA fines Home Depot, Chemique for hazmat violations

The federal agency alleges shipments did not include relevant documents and were improperly packaged and labeled.    The U.S. Transportation Department’s Federal Aviation Administration proposed civil penalties this week against Home Depot for $96,000 and Chemique, Inc. for $63,000 allegedly violating hazardous materials transport regulations.
   In both cases, FAA alleged the shipments did not include documentation to indicate the hazardous nature of their contents and were not marked, labeled or packaged in line with federal hazardous material regulations. The agency also alleges the companies failed to provide emergency response information and Chemique failed to properly train its employees on handling hazmat for transport. 
   Specifically, FAA said Home Depot on Feb. 15, 2013, offered a shipment containing 58 two-quart containers of flammable charcoal lighter fluid and four lighter packs, each containing three flammable lighters, to UPS for air transport to Bloomington, Minn. “UPS employees at the company’s sort facility in Louisville, Ky., discovered the shipment leaking. One of the lighter fluid containers had leaked its entire contents,” FAA said.
   In the violation involving Chemique of Moorestown, N.J., FAA alleged on Sept. 30, 2013, the company offered a shipment of six eight-ounce containers of liquid rust remover and restoration cleaner for transport by air to Milton, Fla. Both substances are corrosive poisons. FedEx employees discovered the shipment at the company’s sort facility in Tampa, Fla.
   “Both companies have asked to meet with the FAA to discuss the respective cases,” the agency said.