Swissport established institutional partnerships with Aduaneiras and Sindicomis to offer courses on the air transport of dangerous goods, including radioactive material, biological and infectious substances. The focus is on bringing information about the transport of dangerous goods to freight forwarders and exporters. Swissport is certified by ANAC (Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil) and IATA (International Air Transport Association) to offer training courses in this area.
Last year, Aduaneiras offered more than 24 courses for cargo exporting companies, while Sindicomis (Union of Dispatch Commissioners, Cargo and Logistics Agents of the State of São Paulo) brings together the largest air cargo agents in the country.
Training is essential to eliminate risks with cargo preparation, packaging, handling, storage, movement and transport of cargo containing hazardous substances. “By not declaring a dangerous article properly, the shipper puts at risk not only operational safety and the goods loaded on the aircraft, but also people's lives and the environment”, emphasizes Flavio Monteze, Head of the training division at Swissport for Latin America and the Caribbean.
According to the expert, one of the key elements of flight safety, in the event of an incident on board involving dangerous goods, is the actions of the crew. “If a hazardous substance is not properly declared, the crew will not receive the appropriate emergency response code and their actions, in case of an emergency on board, may take longer than expected,” said Monteze.
All professionals involved with the air transport of cargo or engers must undergo training, and the purpose of the course is to improve these professionals' awareness of operational restrictions, packaging instructions and other regulatory aspects, as well as to make participants acquire skills to classify, identify, prepare, document, handle and process shipments containing dangerous goods, in accordance with national and international requirements.
Monteze explains that, in order for the themes to be addressed in a more specific way, different professional categories were established by Organs regulatory bodies, ranging from cargo dispatchers and air cargo agencies or cargo consolidating agents to employees hired by airlines ( including operators of Air Cargo Terminals).
Another differential of the courses offered by Swissport is that the participant, when approved, will have his certificate ed with IATA. This is because there is a training partnership between Swissport and IATA that authorizes courses to be taught using proprietary material and to provide an internationally recognized certificate endorsed by IATA. “There are many dangerous goods instruction centers in Brazil. However, very few are accredited by IATA, the International Association of Air Carriers”, points out Monteze
