FAA fines more shippers, FedEx for hazmat violations

The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed civil penalties ranging from $54,000 to $81,669 against three companies for allegedly violating federal hazmat rules.    The U.S. Transportation Department’s Federal Aviation Administration has proposed civil penalties ranging from $54,000 to $81,669 against three companies for allegedly violating federal hazardous materials regulations.
   The agency has issued a $81,669 fine against DGI Menard for allegedly offering an undeclared hazmat shipment to FedEx on Jan. 12 for air transport from Carnegie, Pa., to Crystal Lake, Ill. The shipment contained eight one-pint-size cans of Lubemaster’s Fire Up, a flammable liquid, and six bottles of Diesel Mate All Seasons, a flammable petroleum distillate. FedEx employees at the company’s sort facility in Cary, Ill., found the package was leaking and notified the FAA.
   Rust-Oleum Corp. of Vernon Hills, Ill., was issued a $54,000 civil penalty by the agency for allegedly shipping an undeclared package on Jan. 5 that consisted of four containers of spray paint. FedEx was to transport the shipment by air from Vernon Hills to Huntington Beach, Calif. FedEx employees at the company’s sort center in Northbrook, Ill., discovered the flammable paint and notified the FAA.
   Aqua-Chem, Inc. of Knoxville, Tenn., also received a $54,000 fine from the FAA for allegedly offering an undeclared shipment to UPS on April 3, 2013 that contained six, one-pint-size plastic containers of corrosive phosphoric acid solution. Workers at the UPS package sort facility in Louisville, Ky., discovered the shipment.
   In addition, the FAA has proposed a $58,000 civil penalty against FedEx Corp. in Memphis, Tenn., for alleged hazmat rules violations. 
   The agency said FedEx in June 2014 accepted a box containing 1.7 liters of flammable liquid for air transportation that lacked the proper shipping name of the hazardous materials. The FAA further alleged that in August 2014 FedEx accepted a hazmat shipment consisting of two pounds of a consumer good that had shipping papers incorrectly indicating the amount of hazmat inside.
   “The shipments were not properly classed, described, packaged, marked, labeled and in the condition for shipment required by the hazardous materials regulations,” the FAA said.
   The FAA also alleged the express carrier “failed to provide the pilots in command with accurate and legible written information about the amount of hazardous materials on board three other flights in June, July and August 2014. The shipments contained radioactive material, flammable printing ink and flammable and combustible paint.”
   The agency discovered the alleged violations during a dangerous goods inspection at the FedEx facility at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn.