Dangerous goods

CASA Regulatory Services

CASA provides a small number of regulatory services associated with dangerous goods. The fees for these activities are set by the Government and promulgated in the Civil Aviation (Fees) Regulations 1995.

• Exclusion for employees from dangerous goods training requirements
• Training Courses and Instructors - Approvals
• Exclusion from Statement of Contents Requirements
• Permissions to Carry Dangerous Goods
• Competent Authority Approval for Radioactive Materials

Exclusion for employees from dangerous goods training requirements

Please note, CASA has very few dangerous goods inspector resources and training exclusions are not high on the priority list of Aviation Safety. Please plan your training requirements early.

Refresher Training may be carried out in the three months prior to expiry without having an adverse effect on the expiry date. For example, if training is due to expire on 30 June 2008 and refresher training is undertaken in the three months before 30 June 2008, then the employee's new expiry date will be 30 June 2010. Refresher training more than three months before expiry will result in a new expiry that is two years from the refresher training date. In the above example, training carried out on 20 February 2008 will result in an expiry date of 20 February 2010.

Unforeseen circumstances may arise that preclude an employee from being able to undertake refresher training in the three months prior to expiry. Application may be made to CASA for an exclusion to the training requirements, in effect, extending the employees qualification until the next available course. Please schedule your employees DG training early on in the three months prior to expiry of their qualification. This gives you space to manage should they not be able to attend their first course.

The other common training exclusion sought, is in respect of those employees who have completed a course overseas and who wish to be "recognised" in Australia.

CASA's systems preclude its DG Inspectors from processing an application until the job has been paid for, and the payment systems will not accept payment without an Aviation Reference Number.

To obtain an ARN

If the employee does not have an ARN, they will need to complete Form 1162: Aviation Reference Number (ARN) Application as soon as possible and send it to CASA in Canberra (details are on the form).

Please pay careful attention to the identification requirements under Q1. When you fax/email the form to Canberra, please include a request that they notify you when the ARN has been created and what the ARN is.

The onus is on the employer to ensure that the form is filled in quickly and accurately, submitted promptly and to follow up actively to ensure that the exclusion application can be assessed quickly.

To request the training exclusion

The employer/supervisor will need to write to CASA (an email to dg@casa.gov.au is acceptable). For an extension of time, this will need to include the operational reasons that preclude the employee from undertaking the course in the three months prior to expiry, and the duration for which the employee needs to be excluded further. This will normally be until the first available course. For a foreign recognition - copies of certificates and preferably some evidence that the foreign course had been approved by a relevant Regulatory Authority.

To make the payment

The usual time taken for an assessment of an application for an exclusion under CASR 92.155 is one hour. When ready - and after the ARN has been created - please contact the assigned Dangerous Goods Inspector with your credit card details.

To re-iterate an important point, your employee cannot lawfully continue to send dangerous goods without either doing a training course or having an exclusion.

Training Courses and Instructors - Approvals

The current requirements are set out in AC 92-1(0). CASA has also been working on an update to this Advisory Circular to reflect current practices. Applicants may opt to follow the guidance in Draft Advisory Circular AC92-4(0), a copy of which may be sought from dg@casa.gov.au.

Exclusion from Statement of Contents Requirements

This provision usually applies to road freight agencies when the wet season has made roads impassable. The goods they are carrying (always having been intended for road transport) may not have the appropriate declarations and have not been through the same screening process as airfreight. A responsible officer within the freight agency will contact a CASA DG Inspector to discuss under what circumstances their road freight may be able to be carried by air. The conditions will normally include:

• Each package to be inspected by a DG acceptance trained person
• No passengers on board the aircraft
• Carriage by chartered aircraft will be limited to nearest major towns on either side of the impassable roads
• Roads to have been out for 5 days and anticipation that they will remain impassable for the next few days as well.

Permissions to Carry Dangerous Goods

Where dangerous goods cannot be carried in accordance with the ICAO Technical Instructions, then permission must be sought and obtained from CASA before the goods may be consigned on, or carried by, an aircraft. In almost all cases permission will normally only be given

• where other transport means (road, rail or sea) are inappropriate or unavailable;
• for cargo aircraft only (no passengers other those who own or are assigned to accompany the dangerous goods);
• for aircraft "identified with a degree of particularity";
• for the duration necessary to complete the task.

Examples of permissions

• Carriage of explosives, normally forbidden on aircraft, for civil or military purposes
• Carriage of items in packages where the quantities exceed the normal limitations imposed by ICAO, where the cost of repackaging is excessive.
• Personal tools of trade for tradesmen chartering General Aviation Operators in remote locations
• Civilian operators conducting operations with law enforcement or peace-keeping agencies.

Process

Generally, applications are required from both the person or company intending to consign the dangerous goods and from the operator that will carry the goods.

Please contact CASA at dg@casa.gov.au for a copy of Draft Advisory Circular 92-4(0), which may be used as a guide when considering applying for a permission to carry dangerous goods.

Once you have read the Advisory Circular, it is advisable to contact a DG inspector early in the planning process to ensure that your application can be anticipated and expedited.

Competent Authority Approval for Radioactive Materials

CASA is also the competent authority for approval of radioactive materials in special form and of Type B containers for air transport.

The first step is to contact and discuss with a DG inspector what it is you need - adrian.tusek@casa.gov.au. Contact should be made early in the process.

An ARN is required for the formal application (see Form 1162: Aviation Reference Number (ARN) Application ). A detailed application based on the current edition of International Atomic Energy Agency Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material will be required. Please provide all required supporting test, design and safety data.

A cost estimate will be provided. Processing is charged at an hourly rate of $190. The application is assessed using IAEA guidance documents and decisions are based on a safety case, international standards and compliance with the code of practise for the safe transport of radioactive material.

CASA does not monitor expiry dates. It is the responsibility of the agency/owner of the instrument to ensure that application is made with sufficient lead time, usually of the order of 28 days.