Dangerous Goods Shipping: How To Stay Compliant And Avoid Delays

Plenty of everyday items fall under dangerous goods shipping. Phone cases with power banks. Hair spray and air fresheners. Nail polish and perfume. Paint and paint thinners. Two‑part glues. Even strong magnets. The risk can be fire, pressure build up, leakage, poisoning, or harm to the environment. That is why the shipment needs extra care.

Here is a fast gut check. If your product burns, leaks, pressurises, corrodes, poisons, or has a strong magnetic field, assume it might be regulated. Check the safety data sheet, also called the SDS. Ask your supplier for it if you do not already have one. The SDS points to the UN number and the hazard class. Those two fields unlock the rest of the rules.

Small brands slip here. The item looks harmless, you list it next to socks, and the first big batch gets stopped at the hub. A five minute SDS review would have prevented that. Boring, yes. Useful, very.

Who sets the rules, and why that matters

Each transport mode leans on a different book. The books share the same core logic, though some details change.

• Air: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, built from ICAO rules. Airlines and air hubs live by it.
• Ocean: The IMDG Code for sea freight. Think about limited quantities, segregation, and marine pollutants.
• Road in Europe: ADR, the cross‑border agreement for road moves.
• Road in the United States: 49 CFR under the US DOT.
• Road and rail in Canada: TDG, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.
• Local or operator variations: Carriers and airports publish extra conditions. Read those before peak season.

If you ship cross‑border, you will touch more than one rule set. A parcel can be fine for ground but blocked for air. Or fine for air yet flagged at an ocean terminal. The lesson is simple. Match the product form and quantity with the exact lane and service a customer picks at checkout. If that sounds picky, that is because it is. It is also how you prevent the “held at facility” email that nobody wants to write.

The compliance building blocks you cannot skip

1) Classification

Find the UN number, the proper shipping name, the hazard class, and the packing group if the class uses one. A lithium ion battery can be UN3480 if shipped by itself or UN3481 if packed with or contained in equipment. Nail polish often maps to UN1263 paint related material. The SDS gives you this, then you verify in the rulebook or with your carrier matrix.

2) Packaging path

Use packaging that meets the rule for your packing instruction. Many retail items fit Limited Quantities or Excepted Quantities. These routes allow simpler packaging within strict inner and outer limits. Use internal containment for liquids, protect battery terminals, and cushion so nothing moves inside the box.

3) Marks and labels

The mark or label must be the right size and in the right place. Examples include the limited quantity diamond, lithium battery mark, hazard class labels, and orientation arrows. Do not shrink labels to “make them fit.” Do not cover them with tape. Clear marks get cleared faster.

4) Paperwork

Some shipments need a Shipper’s Declaration for Dangerous Goods. Some do not. Lithium batteries inside equipment under certain limits may need only the lithium mark and a booking note. Keep paperwork, labels, and SDS consistent. Mismatches are a top reason for delays.

5) Carrier acceptance

Not all carriers take all classes on all lanes. Some require a special account flag before you tender any hazmat. Confirm your product form, quantity per package, and destination against the carrier acceptance list. A yes on the website does not mean a yes on your specific account.

Hot spots that trip ecommerce brands

Lithium batteries

Three questions decide the path. Is the battery alone, packed with equipment, or contained inside it. What is the watt hour rating and chemistry. How many cells or batteries per package. Small consumer gear often qualifies for air under strict limits. Loose batteries can be cargo aircraft only on some lanes. Ground service can be simpler, but you still need the correct inner packaging and mark.

Aerosols

Deodorant and air freshener seem easy. They are not. There is pressure and often flammability. Many items qualify under limited quantities. Use strong outers and do not leave void space. Temperature swings in vans and hubs stress weak packing.

Perfumes and solvent cosmetics

Fragrance bottles leak when caps loosen. Use inner liners or sealed bags, then a sturdy outer box. The flash point on the SDS tells you if the item is a flammable liquid. Small sizes often fit limited quantities, which is friendlier for air.

Magnets

Strong magnets can cause trouble for aircraft instruments. You may need shielding and a surface field strength test. Brands learn this on the first big export to a far market, which is not the best time to learn.

Warehouse flow that holds up when volume spikes

You do not need a huge hazmat room. You need a clear pattern that the team trusts and repeats.

Inbound and SKU setup. Collect SDS files, tag SKUs in the WMS with UN number, class, packing path, and which marks to print. Store a photo of a correct sample label in the SKU record.

Pick and pack prompts. When a packer scans a regulated SKU, show the exact packaging instruction. Include inner limits, cushioning advice, and a one‑click bundle to print the right marks.

Review bay. Keep a small shelf for DG orders that need a quick second look. Ten minutes here saves two days of hub ping pong.

Photograph and store. Snap the finished package and save it to the order. When a hub asks a question, a clear photo closes the loop.

Account and lane logic. If your account is not cleared for air on that lane, shift the shipment to ground. Build this logic into your OMS so the customer sees an accurate promise at checkout.

Choosing carriers and service levels without painful surprises

Carriers publish what they accept by class, by lane, and by service. Read it like a spec sheet. Build a small matrix for your top SKUs. If a phone grip with a small battery can go by air to France with Carrier A but not to the UK with the same carrier, bake that into your rules.

Be careful with speed promises. Some regulated items cannot legally fly on a certain route. If you promise next day air by default, you create refunds and support tickets. Consider a short help page that explains speed choices for regulated items and link it from your delivery info. This is a good place to explain what does expedited shipping mean for products that face extra steps.

Customs, borders, and the extra eyes on your parcel

Regulated products draw attention. Use honest, specific product descriptions. “Cosmetics” is vague. “Eau de parfum, alcohol based, 50 ml” tells a complete story. For continental shipments, review how customs in Europe treats goods that are also regulated in transport. The UK has its own flow, so if you sell into Britain, bookmark customs clearance UK and mirror the broker’s document list.

Tariff codes matter too. The right code does not just affect tax. It can trigger inspections or special permits. Keep a master code list for your regulated SKUs and stick with it unless your broker tells you to change it.

Returns that do not blow up your inbox

Returns are where hazmat mistakes multiply. Do not tell customers to use any carrier and any box. Set up a returns portal that generates the correct label for eligible items and shows simple packing steps. For batteries and liquids, include a short video or diagram. If you sell only in one country, you can even provide a small supply of return‑ready outers for common issues. The cost pays for itself in fewer refusals and fewer angry emails.

Training, records, and the human side

Short sessions win. Train packers to spot a DG SKU, find the packaging instruction in the WMS, and check a label. Train leads to match an SDS line to a booking note. Keep a record of who packed which order, plus a photo. When a hub questions a mark or an inner limit, a calm reply with a photo and the SDS page often resolves things on the spot.

Common mistakes that slow shipments

Pretty but wrong pictograms. Mixing DG and non‑DG on the same bench without prompts. Old SDS versions that list a different proper shipping name. Overpromising air on a lane where only ground is allowed. Exposed battery terminals and no inner bags for liquids. Fix one and you help yourself. Fix all and DG starts to feel like normal work.

A simple risk assessment for new SKUs

When a buyer adds a new line, run this three step test before it hits the store.

Step one, paper. Ask for the SDS. If the supplier does not have one, press pause. If the product is exempt, ask for a letter that states why.

Step two, form. Decide how the product will ship. Is it a liquid, an aerosol, a magnet, a battery in equipment, or a spare battery. That form usually sets the path and the label.

Step three, limits. Map the inner and outer quantity limits and set them in the WMS. If a gift set crosses a limit, adjust the bundle or choose a different service level.

This takes an hour per product at the start. It saves weeks of headaches later.

Cost model and what to budget

Dangerous goods shipping has extra line items. Build a small model so finance can see them and plan.

• Training. Initial training for supervisors and refreshers for packers.
• Packaging. Inner liners, bags, UN approved outers for certain items, and a cushion stock of limited quantity cartons.
• Labels and printing. Lithium battery marks, limited quantity diamonds, hazard labels, and a reliable 4 by 6 printer.
• Carrier fees. Some services add a DG surcharge or require a special account flag.
• Refusals. Budget a small buffer for first quarter mistakes. With a good SOP, this number shrinks quickly.

Once you track these as their own buckets, the per order cost becomes predictable. Many brands find the extra cost is modest compared to the gross margin on regulated items.

KPIs that show if your process works

Keep the list short. People will actually use it.

• DG first pass yield. Percentage of regulated parcels that pass the first hub scan with no exception.
• Label error rate. Mislabeled or missing marks as a share of DG orders.
• Carrier acceptance lead time. Time from label creation to the moment the parcel leaves the origin facility.
• Refusal cause mix. Count the top three causes. Fix them in order.
• Training freshness. Share of DG packers who completed a refresher in the last six months.

Review once per month. Post the numbers on the floor. Celebrate a clean month, even with small gains.

Your incident playbook

Things happen. A can leaks. A battery that looked fine swells at the hub. Have a short plan.

1. Pause and inform. Stop related batches, tell the shift lead, and contact the carrier point of contact.
2. Collect facts. Photo of the label, photo of the inner packing, SDS page with the UN number and class, and the order number.
3. Decide the fix. Replace poor inner packaging, raise the limit note in the WMS, or switch the lane to ground.
4. Close the loop. Reply to the hub with facts, not guesses. Log the cause and the fix.
5. Share. Add one slide to the weekly standup so the team learns from a real example.

Short, calm, and repeatable wins here.

Your WMS data model for regulated SKUs

Give the WMS the fields it needs to do the heavy lifting.

• UN number and proper shipping name
• Hazard class and packing group if used
• Packing instruction notes that a packer can read
• Allowed service levels and the fallback path
• Required mark types, with a print bundle
• Inner and outer limits for quantity per package
• A sample photo of a correct finished package

With those fields, prompts become useful. Without them, packers guess, and guesses cause refusals.

Checkout UX for regulated products

Keep it simple for shoppers. Show realistic speed choices for regulated items and explain why some options are not available in certain regions. If you run a small banner next to the shipping selector that says “Batteries travel on limited services to protect carriers and customers,” you set the right tone. Use logic in the cart to stop a shopper from picking a service you cannot legally use on that lane. That tiny guardrail prevents refunds and support tickets later.

The hardware that saves time

A dependable 4 by 6 thermal printer is your best friend. Keep a second unit as a spare and test both every morning. Stock pre‑cut lithium battery marks and limited quantity diamonds. Store them near the DG bench so nobody wanders the floor looking for labels. A small label applicator tool helps with placement and avoids crooked marks that get flagged.

For liquids, a simple pressure test kit for samples catches weak caps. For magnets, a basic gauss meter helps confirm surface field strength if your product runs close to the limits.

Bringing it all together for ecommerce teams

Dangerous Goods Shipping feels complex from far away. Up close it becomes a routine. Tag your SKUs with a few extra fields. Let the WMS do the prompting. Keep a small bench with the right labels and a spare printer. Take photos. Track a short list of KPIs. When a hub emails a question, reply with facts and a clear image. That calm loop is what keeps parcels moving.

If you are growing fast, consider a fulfilment partner that already handles regulated products. They bring trained people, account approvals, and working print bundles. You focus on your store and your launches while they run the regulated part with fewer surprises. Peace of mind is not a luxury during Q4. It is how you sleep.

About Bezos

Bezos is a tech‑led fulfilment partner for growing ecommerce brands across the UK and EU. We store your products, pick and pack with care, and ship fast through trusted carrier networks. Connect your store in minutes, manage inventory from one dashboard, and keep customers updated with real‑time tracking.

We handle D2C and marketplace orders, subscription boxes, B2B and retail replenishment, returns processing, and cross‑border support. You get clear pricing, quick onboarding, and responsive help from a team that knows fulfilment inside out. Want costs and timelines for your products? Get a quote.

Conclusión

Dangerous goods shipping isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about understanding what you're moving. The 9 hazard classes cover everything from explosives and gases to corrosives and radioactive materials. Some are obvious. Others, less so. Lithium batteries, aerosol cans, cleaning sprays, or industrial adhesives might seem ordinary but can cause serious issues in transit.

Misclassifying or skipping proper documentation leads to delays, fines, or worse, safety hazards. Carriers rely on clear labeling, packaging, and declarations to move these items without disruption. If you’re not sure where your product falls, start with the SDS, then cross-check the UN number and hazard class with your shipping partner’s requirements. Accurate classification is the foundation of smooth dangerous goods shipping.

Preguntas frecuentes

What is considered dangerous goods for shipping?

Any item that could harm people, property, or the environment during transport may be regulated. That includes batteries and the devices that hold them, aerosols, perfumes and other flammable liquids, paints, adhesives, corrosives, gases, toxic substances, and strong magnets. The SDS and the rulebook identify the UN number and class, which set the packaging and label rules.

What is a dangerous goods form in shipping?

It is a declaration by the shipper that lists the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group if used, packing instruction, and special provisions. Many air shipments need this document. Some commodities, such as small batteries inside equipment under certain limits, do not need a full declaration but still require the correct mark and text in the booking.

What is the TDG in shipping?

TDG stands for Transportation of Dangerous Goods. It is Canada’s framework for moving hazardous materials by road and rail, and it links to other mode rules for air and ocean legs. If you move goods within or into Canada, TDG applies along with IATA or IMDG when you use those modes.

What are the 9 classes of dangerous goods?

The nine classes of dangerous goods are: explosives; gases; flammable liquids; flammable solids (including substances liable to self‑heating or that emit flammable gas when wet); oxidising substances and organic peroxides; toxic and infectious substances; radioactive material; corrosives; and miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles, which includes lithium batteries and environmentally hazardous substances.

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