Distinguishing Dangerous Goods: Hazard Class 4

Each type of hazardous material has its own dangers and its own set of best practices for mitigating those dangers during shipment. With proper attention to these procedures, it’s possible to ship these materials safely and securely—but it requires thorough knowledge of the regulations for each substance. As an industry leader in hazmat shipping materials, part of Air Sea Containers’ mission is to help our customers gain the knowledge and expertise that they need. The Globally Harmonized System of Hazard Communication, or GHS, provides a guide to general safety rules necessary for handling each hazmat class safely. The GHS uses a system of labeling conventions to show what kind of hazards a given material poses, allowing shippers and carriers to use the appropriate procedures. Today, we’ll talk about GHS hazard class 4: flammable solids. This category is full of potentially dangerous substances that can cause serious injury or death—so if you’re shipping anything in this class, use these key rules as a foundation for your safety protocols.

What Goods Are in Hazard Class 4?

Hazard class 4 contains a wide range of solids that fall into one of three categories:

• Division 4.1: General flammable solids. The broadest category, it includes all kinds of combustible materials. Common ones include matches, naphthalene, camphor and sulfur.
• Division 4.2: Spontaneously combustible solids. These goods require even more caution than usual, and they include substances that combust as soon as they are exposed to air, as well as ones that can combust from self-heating. Goods in this category include white phosphorous, activated carbon and various textile and tannery waste products.
• Division 4.3: Solids that are combustible when wet. A less common category that is mostly comprised of various alkali and powdered metals. When they’re exposed to water, these substances may emit flammable gases, combust immediately or experience any of several other effects.

Rules of Shipping for Hazard Class 4

The first thing to remember about shipping hazard class 4 materials is that each individual material has its own specific regulations. For most materials, you can check the US Code of Federal Regulations hazmat tables for a detailed, item-by-item summary of regulations. These tables will tell you everything from restrictions on where an item can be stored to what kind of other items it can be safely shipped with. Beyond the specifics listed in the CFR, keep the following in mind:

• All class 4 goods should be marked with proper hazmat class 4 warning placards or labels.
• If your class 4 items require refrigeration, don’t assume that dry ice is safe to use—check the hazmat tables first.
• If you’re planning on shipping class 4 goods through the mail, check the USPS Postal Explorer first to find out whether it’s prohibited. Many class 4 items can’t be mailed at all, and some can be mailed only if they have an ORM-D classification.
• Make sure you’re familiar with any additional regulations governing your chosen shipping method. This can include IATA regulations (for air transport), IMO regulations (for marine transport) or your carrier’s individual rules.

Hazard Class 4 Shipping Materials from Air Sea Containers

Safely shipping hazard class 4 goods means having all of the appropriate materials in place well ahead of time and ensuring that employees know how to use them. Air Sea Containers is here to make sure that you’ve got the highest-quality packaging materials and the best all-around packaging solutions to keep your class 4 hazmat goods safe and secure:

• Our complete hazmat shipping kits are an easy and cost-effective all-in-one solution to protect your Class 4 goods in transit.
• To make sure flammable materials are kept cool, consider our reusable, non-toxic refrigerant gel packs (particularly if you can’t use dry ice to ship your goods.)
• Prevent potentially dangerous shocks to your goods by using void fill solutions such as our Opus Biodegradable Air Pillows or vermiculite absorbent loose fill.
• Our selection of stretch wrap and bubble wrap is perfect for immobilizing and protecting your class 4 goods in transit.
• Last but not least, our hazard class 4 labels will help ensure that all handlers remain aware of the hazards and that your goods stay in compliance.

4GV Shipper Kit

There’s no one-size solution when it comes to hazmat shipping. That’s why Air Sea Containers is committed to helping our customers find the hazmat packaging solution that’s just right for their needs. Have questions on how to safely ship your class 4 hazmat goods? We’d be happy to help—just call us at (866) 596-9448 or contact us online!