Helicopter guidelines for land seismic & helirig operations - OGP

Helicopter guidelines for land seismic & helirig operations
Hazard description
IATA lists a vast number of ‘Dangerous goods’ to
which restrictions apply.
Typical dangerous goods encountered in land
Geophysical operations:
Explosives:
• premature detonation, especially if detonators
close to high explosives.
• Detonators may be triggered by radio waves,
electrical fields, static electricity.
• Loss of external load of explosives
—risk — to 3 rd parties
—risk — to reputation
—material — must be recovered and this can be
difficult.
Batteries
Small petrol engines: these often have fixed petrol
tank attached to them, which may contain sufficient
petrol to cause risk.
Cement: cement dust can cause serious and acute
damage to engine and moving parts
Raw meat and fish
Fuels
Suggested controls
• Follow IATA regulations
• Training
• Load masters at heliports and inside aircraft
• Correct packaging.
Select suitable products (non mass detonating
detonators, shock proof high explosives etc.)
• Carry separately
• Detonators inside closed Faraday cages.
—Avoid — imposing radio silence!
—Avoid — static build up through: detonators as
internal cargo or transport in metal baskets etc.
• If transported over water or tidal swamps,
consider non floating explosives, which will
be easier to recover and will not spread in
an uncontrolled manner. Self destructing/
decomposing explosives are also preferred.
• Consider use of sealed batteries (but with the
correct type charger!).
• Place in wooden boxes
• Ensure batteries are kept upright
• Preferably transport as external cargo
• Drain petrol tanks of small engines (generators,
chain saws) before transport., especially if carried
as internal cargo.
• Package in strong plastic bags and avoid
puncturing of these
• Raw meat produced blood, which is a corrosive
substance that can damage the aircraft and
contaminate other cargo
• Package raw meat in sealed plastic bags or
containers.
Transport as external cargo.
Local activities
Hazard description
• Noise, nuisance or even scaring local population
• Startling cattle
• Recreational activities, such as:
—Parachute — jumping
—Ultra — light aircraft
—Hang — gliding
—Kite — flying
Errors in Persons on Board administration.
Transport of data recorded requires particular
attention. Data, be it on paper or some recording
medium can easily be damaged beyond repair
through rough handling, extreme temperatures or
humidity. Data is not only a very valuable cargo, but
if lost, the re-acquisition of the data involves further
exposure.
Refueling
Suggested controls
Ensure passenger lists and boarding records are
prepared and kept on the ground
• Back up data before transport.
• Separate shipment (and storage) of original and
back up data.
• Waterproof packaging, preferably in floating
containers.
• Only as internal cargo
© OGP
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