When sending flammable goods with a courier there are things you must know to ensure a safe and secure transit. However naturally not everybody understands how vital safety is when handling and sending flammable goods. We’ve put together a few do’s and don’ts here to help you better understand safety when sending goods which pose a danger to human health or risk of injury via courier.
How do I know it’s flammable?
Senders may not consider which goods are flammable when sending through a courier and this could have catastrophic consequences if they are not notified – for example, fancy cigarette lighters (such as Zippo lighters which hold a petrol lighter fluid) might not initially appear to be dangerous from the outset. While these are often intended as a gift, they may not be seen as harmful until they are used – and despite this they should be specially packaged and labelled and the courier should be notified of the object’s potentially dangerous nature. Another common product which many senders do not see as flammable (and potentially harmful) are certain beauty products and cosmetics. Hairsprays, deodorants and perfumes are extremely flammable liquids and therefore also need to be packaged and labelled correctly. As hairspray is a compressed product it is just as dangerous as a lighter and could be prone to explosion when exposed to direct heat.
What to do when sending flammable goods
Package and label clearly
Any potentially flammable product is seen as dangerous and so when being sent through a courier, the product should be packaged properly ensuring there is no chance it could fall or be released through the process of delivery. When safely and securely packaged, the parcel should be labelled clearly with the flammable sign to ensure the avoidance of direct heat.
Notify the courier
If a product is flammable and is being sent through a courier, then it is essential that the courier at hand is notified of the flammability of the product as it is a dangerous object to be handling and will probably need special attention. If the courier is not notified this could put them (and others) in danger or even harm them should anything go wrong.
Use heat resistant packaging
To ensure complete safety when sending flammable products, try to find non-flammable packaging as this will greatly decrease the risk of an incident when sending. This is also a better option for the courier as it puts them at less of a risk when handling and delivering the packages.
What not to do when sending flammable products
Do not fill self-filling products
When sending a refillable flammable product that can be self-filled (for example a lighter), do not take the chance and fill it for the buyer or recipient as this increases the chance of a flammable reaction during delivery. It is safer for the buyer to do it as the product is no longer at a greater risk of a reaction once it has been delivered.
