THE CHALLENGE THAT NOT EVERY LOGISTICS COMPANY IS PREPARED TO TAKE ON

Hazardous goods are those materials and substances that due to their physical and chemical composition may represent a risk to the health and safety of humans or the environment while in storage, transport or handling.

Hazardous materials are divided into 9 classes, some of which have subclasses. Regardless of their natural state (solid, liquid or gaseous) they are classified according to their properties, such as flammable, toxic, explosive, corrosive, among others.

Here are the 9 classes of hazardous products:
- Class 1: Explosives.
- Class 2: Gases.
- Class 3: Flammable liquids.
- Class 4: Flammable solids.
- Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides.
- Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances.
- Class 7: Radioactive materials.
- Class 8: Corrosive substances.
- Class 9: Other hazardous products, such as miscellaneous hazardous materials and magnetic objects.

It is important to mention that, if not handled properly, these products are susceptible to chemical reactions, explosions or leaks that not only risk the safety and health of workers and the environment, but also damage the company's image and reputation.

Because the transportation and storage of this type of products is a very specialized logistics, authorities have been dedicated to creating a series of rules, regulations and restrictions that products must comply with when being transported, always aligned with international regulations and mainly from the United Nations Organization.

Compliance with these regulations seeks to ensure the safety and proper handling of goods. An example of this takes us back to last May, when the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF by its acronym in Spanish) announced that NOM-043 would present certain changes in the responsibilities and procedures for dangerous goods.

The importance of this standard is based on the correct identification and proper handling of the products, with more specific characteristics such as: Required packaging, container identification, among others. With this NOM, which must be complied with by all transportation of dangerous goods, greater safety is generated for the carrier, the environment, and the routes and communities through which the products will pass on their journey.

As international regulations grow and become more stringent, technology is becoming more and more involved in the subject, being a fundamental support for companies' innovation. Some recent technological advances include:
Route optimization using Artificial Intelligence.
Advanced sensors
Specialized autonomous vehicles

The storage of such goods is also often a challenge for certain companies, since the goods must be kept under certain controlled conditions such as temperature and packaging, mainly to avoid exposure to an environment that may cause a reaction.

To mention some examples of hazardous products:
- Class 1: Fireworks, bombs, ammunition.
- Class 2: Helium, chlorine, butane gas.
- Class 3: Paints, varnishes, fuels.
- Class 4: Coal, sodium, potassium.
- Class 5: Potassium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide.
- Class 6: Methanol, mercury, Ebola virus.
- Class 7: Uranium, plutonium.
- Class 8: Ammonia, sulfuric acid.
- Class 9: Battery chemicals, adhesive solutions, dangerous goods transport materials (such as protective equipment).

The correct compliance with these regulations provides greater safety for both human beings and the merchandise itself, which is why it is of utmost importance that the personnel involved in the transportation of hazardous products be highly trained and updated.

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