Hazardous Materials Management: How to Minimize Risk and Optimize Your Processes
(6 min read)
Hazardous substance management is extremely complex. Compliance guidelines for the transport of hazardous goods and the storage of hazardous substances are becoming increasingly complex. Whether explosive, flammable or oxidizing – constantly updated sets of rules define what is considered dangerous goods and how they should be handled correctly.
However, small and medium-sized companies in particular lack the technical or personnel capacities to prevent violations of these rules and to minimize risks. NTT DATA Business Solutions’ it.DGM suiteADD (Dangerous Goods and Materials), a software solution for the entire hazardous materials management process, which includes it.DGShipADD for shipping and it.DGMatADD for the storage of hazardous materials, provides support for process optimization.
Shipping of Dangerous Goods – an Example
Ines runs a hairdressing salon and needs different products. She orders these in larger quantities on her regular portal Stylingstudiobedarf.de. Shortly afterwards she receives an email with the information that the goods will be delivered the next day. The employee in Stylingstudiobedarf picks and packs the goods without realizing that they are dangerous goods. As the package is not marked, the CEP driver (courier, express and parcel services) places it unsecured on the loading area. On the way to Ines’ hairdressing salon he touches a tree with his truck. The parcels slip and a spark is produced which makes the hairspray in Ines’ parcel explode. The truck is on fire. A thorough investigation shows that the goods were neither marked nor secured. Both, the company Stylingstudiobedarf and the driver receive a fine.
it.x-pressADD Portfolio for Automated Dispatch Processing
The it.DGM suiteADD is part of the wide-ranging it.x-pressADD shipping software that NTT DATA Business Solutions launched on the market in 2008. The goal of the shipping solution: It is intended to connect CEPs, such as UPS or GLS, as well as shipping companies to the SAP system. In addition, data on the length, width and height of the parcel can be transmitted to the service providers. And, they can be directly instructed to send the package to a specific location with specific service codes and service options. The service providers then return tracking information, for example. This information can be displayed directly in the SAP system. For each process step, NTT DATA Business Solutions provides various modules: e.g. for weighing and packing (it.x-scaleADD / it.x-packITADD ERP / EWM) and calculation of freight costs (it.x-freight chargeADD).
it.x-pressADD – Direct SAP Integration of Your CEP Service Providers and Forwarding Companies
Sending Dangerous Goods Automatically, Correctly and Safely
When Ines finds out that her package is not delivered, she places a new order at Friseursalonbedarf24.de. Various modules from the it.x-pressADD portfolio support the processing of this sales order in the SAP system, including the it.DGM suiteADD for hazardous materials management. The system automatically informs the user that the goods are dangerous goods. The employee goes directly to the hazardous materials warehouse, picks the goods and transfers them to the packer. The packer is informed that the package weighs more than 30 kg and that the delivery does not fall under the limited-quantity rules due to the high quantity. The packer takes the packing material that he considers suitable. But when he tries to reproduce this in the SAP system, he receives an error message informing him that he must take a 4G carton and affix the dangerous goods labeling required by law. The system also automatically checks whether the dangerous goods may be packed together.
The packer also commissions the CEP service provider via it.x-pressADD using the web service of the respective shipping partner. From this service provider, the packer receives the correct shipping label, prints it out and sticks it onto his parcel. In goods issue, the package passes through the standard it.DGM suiteADD process. During the check, it is determined that Ines’ hairdressing salon is located in Switzerland. The system must create a VOC customer balance sheet for the steering tax that Switzerland levies on organic compounds. Furthermore, the module checks if and when Ines has ordered at Friseursalonbedarf24.de. The order was placed only 200 days ago, and she normally does not need a safety data sheet. However, since a formulation has changed, she receives an email with the current safety data sheet, the VOC balance and a note that her package is on its way. A few hours later it is delivered.
Hazardous Materials Management Safely in View
The guidelines for dangerous goods are constantly changing. A network of regulations is created that can hardly be monitored manually. For companies there is a high risk of becoming liable to prosecution.
Key Takeaways
Why the decision for the it.DGMADD suite is beneficial for you:
- avoid accidents that harm people and environment
- connect seamlessly with your shipping partners
- comply automatically with legal regulations
- eliminate the risk of heavy penalties
You Want to Play It Safe, Too?
Get more information about hazardous goods management and how to avoid making errors and being unintentional liable to prosecution? Attend our webinar on September 17th 2020, 09:30 – 10:15 am (CET).
Learn more about our Solutions for Supply Chain Management or visit our AddStore: