Shipping Hazardous Materials/Dangerous Goods
Everything you need to know about hazardous materials/dangerous goods can be found on the Office of Research Assurances website. From their website you will want to click on the navigation link for Hazardous Materials Shipping. This is where you will find information about what is considered a hazardous material or dangerous goods, as well as how to ship such items.
Note (as per J. Moreland): If you transport hazardous materials in your own vehicle and get into an accident, you and/or your auto insurance will likely be responsible for any hazmat cleanup resulting from the accident. Therefore, if you must transport yourself it is advised that you use a state vehicle. For example, if you need to deliver something as simple as a specimen stored in alcohol to Pullman or another REC, use a WSU vehicle. If you hand off the material to someone else to deliver, they would also need to use a WSU vehicle to avoid personal liability.
The excerpt below is from the ORA Shipping Hazardous Materials website:
What is a hazardous material / dangerous good?
Hazardous material is generally defined as any substance that could adversely affect the safety of the public, handlers or carriers during transportation. The terms hazardous materials and dangerous goods are often used interchangeably when discussing shipping. Hazardous material regulations may apply to commercial products, chemical mixtures, items containing or contaminated with hazardous substances, and newly synthesized compounds. Various types of batteries, fuel containers, solvents, biologicals samples and cleaning products are examples of materials that are regulated for shipment. Listed below are some of the materials that are considered a dangerous good/ hazardous material.
- Lithium batteries (in and out of equipment)
- Biological samples (Patient Specimens) are those collected directly from humans or animals, including, but not limited to, excreata, secreta, blood and its components, tissue and tissue fluid, swabs and body parts being transported for purposes such as research diagnosis, investigational activities, disease treatment and prevention
- Infectious Substances
- Dry ice
- Alcohol
- Ethanol and ethanol solutions
- Formaldehyde
- Formalin
- Sodium Azide
- Compressed gas cylinders
- Genetically modified organisms or microorganisms
- Laboratory Chemicals
- Maintenance chemicals (stains, cleaners, fuels and disinfectants)
- Agricultural chemicals (Fertilizer, Pesticides )
- Radioactive materials
- Paint
- Ammunition
- Acetylene
- Methanol
- Hexane
- Some minerals and metals
- Sodium Hydroxide
- Magnets
This is not an inclusive list. The Department of Transportation Hazardous Materials regulations has over 149 pages with 30 or more items per page that are considered hazardous materials. Please contact the Dangerous good/hazardous material cell phone at 509-432-3868 if you have a questions or concerns about your shipment.