Documentation and Acceptance Procedures
The shipper's declaration
The Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods is the core document. It must state the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group, quantity, packing instruction, and the certification signed by a trained person. The declaration must be accurate and complete; a missing element is a ground for rejection.
Acceptance checks
Acceptance is a step-by-step process: check the declaration against the DGL, verify the packaging and UN specification code, check marks and labels, confirm quantity limits for the intended aircraft, and confirm the shipper's training. The operator must not accept a shipment it cannot verify. A common trap is accepting a declaration that names the substance by a trade name rather than the proper shipping name.
The air waybill
The air waybill must indicate that dangerous goods are included, with the words "Dangerous Goods as per attached Shipper's Declaration" or equivalent. The number of packages and the nature of the goods must be consistent with the declaration.
Worked example
A declaration lists "Acetone" as the proper shipping name but omits the UN number. Acetone is UN 1090, Class 3, packing group II. The answer: the declaration is incomplete because the UN number is missing; it must be corrected and re-signed by a trained person before acceptance.
Rule of thumb
Acceptance is a verification exercise, not a formality. If the declaration, packaging, marks, labels or quantity limits do not align, reject and require correction.