Advisory Circular (AC) No. 700-001

Subject: Dangerous Goods Special Authorization

Issuing Office: Civil Aviation, Standards
Document No.: AC 700-001
File Classification No.: Z 5000-34
Issue No.: 05
RDIMS No.: 17823074 V3
Effective Date: 2021-09-17

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction

  • (1) This Advisory Circular (AC) is provided for information and guidance purposes. It describes an example of an acceptable means, but not the only means, of demonstrating compliance with regulations and standards. This AC on its own does not change, create, amend or permit deviations from regulatory requirements, nor does it establish minimum standards.

1.1 Purpose

  • (1) The purpose of this document is to assist Canadian air operators in fulfilling their dangerous goods related requirements under the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), the Commercial Air Services Standards (CASS) and the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDG Regulations).
  • (2) This document provides guidance to air operators on how to obtain the Dangerous Goods Special Authorization on their Air Operator Certificate (AOC).
  • (3) As per International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, the Dangerous Goods Special Authorization will be placed on the AOC as either “YES” in the case of air operators who transport Dangerous Goods as cargo or mail or “NO” for air operators who do not transport dangerous goods as cargo.
  • (4) An AOC will not be issued, re-issued or amended without a Dangerous Goods Special Authorization.

1.2 Applicability

  • (1) This document is applicable to all Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) personnel, Transport Canada Transportation of Dangerous Goods personnel, delegates and industry.

1.3 Description of changes

  • (1) This document, formerly AC 700-001 Issue 04 has been reissued as AC 700-001 Issue 05. The minor changes are:
    • (a) Section 8.0 Contact Us - telephone and fax numbers removed.

2.0 References and requirements

2.1 Reference documents

  • (1) It is intended that the following reference materials be used in conjunction with this document:
    • (a) Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 (TDG Act)
    • (b) Aeronautics Act (R.S., 1985, c. A-2)
    • (c) Part VII, Subpart 2 of the CARs — Aerial Work
    • (d) Part VII, Subpart 3 of the CARs — Air Taxi Operations
    • (e) Part VII, Subpart 4 of the CARs — Commuter Operations
    • (f) Part VII, Subpart 5 of the CARs — Airline Operations
    • (g) TDG Regulations
    • (h) Standard 722 of the CARs — Aerial Work
    • (i) Standard 723 of the CARs — Air Taxi
    • (j) Standard 724 of the CARs — Commuter Operations
    • (k) Standard 725 of the CARs — Airline Operations
    • (l) ICAO — Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO TI)

2.2 Cancelled documents

  • (1) Not applicable.
  • (2) By default, it is understood that the publication of a new issue of a document automatically renders any earlier issues of the same document null and void.

2.3 Definitions and abbreviations

  • (1) Definitions and abbreviations supporting this document may be found in the TDG Act, the TDG Regulations, the ICAO TI or the CARs. Where a term or abbreviation is defined in more than one document including the TDG Act and TDG Regulations, the definition provided by the TDG Act or TDG Regulations takes precedence.
  • (2) The following definitions are used in this document:
    • (a) Baggage: personal property of passengers or crew carried on an aircraft by agreement with the operator.
    • (b) Cargo: any property carried on an aircraft other than mail and accompanied baggage or mishandled baggage.
    • (c) COMAT: operator material carried on an air operator’s aircraft for the air operator’s own purposes.
    • (d) Mail: dispatches of correspondence and other items tendered by, and intended for delivery to, postal services in accordance with the rules of the Universal Postal Union.
  • (3) The following abbreviations are used in this document:
    • (a) AC: Advisory circular
    • (b) AOC: Air Operator Certificate
    • (c) CARs: Canadian Aviation Regulations
    • (d) CASS: Commercial Air Service Standard
    • (e) COM: Company Operations Manual
    • (f) ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization
    • (g) ICAO TI: International Civil Aviation Organization —Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air
    • (h) TC: Transport Canada
    • (i) TCCA: Transport Canada Civil Aviation
    • (j) TDG: Transportation of Dangerous Goods
    • (k) TDG Act: Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992

3.0 Background

3.1 Transport of dangerous goods

  • (1) All air operators transport dangerous goods as cargo, mail, and/or passenger/crew baggage.
  • For example:
    • (a) COMAT such as fire extinguishers, oxygen cylinders, engines, fuel pumps, fuel control units, first-aid kits and life vests are dangerous goods.
    • (b) Aerosols, toiletry articles, cellular phones, portable computers, cigarette lighters, perfume carried on board by passengers and crew are also dangerous goods.

3.2 Regulatory requirements

  • (1) The Minister of Transport, by virtue of subparagraphs 702.08(g)(xii), 703.08(g)(x), 704.08(g)(xi) and 705.08(g)(xi) of the CARs, requires that air operator certificates contain any other condition pertaining to the operation that the Minister deems necessary for aviation safety. This includes requiring air operators to submit their dangerous goods policies and procedures in their company operations manual and to also submit their dangerous goods training program(s).
  • (2) All air operators must comply with the dangerous goods requirements set out in the CARs, the CASS, the TDG Act and the TDG Regulations.
  • (3) All air operators must have the Dangerous Goods Special Authorization on their AOC.
  • (4) The training program approval requirements are met as per sections 702.76, 703.98, 704.115 and 705.124 of the CARs.
  • (5) The Company Operations Manual (COM) approval requirements are met as per sections 702.81, 703.104, 704.120 and 705.134 of the CARs.

3.3 Air operator requirements

  • (1) Air operators who transport dangerous goods as cargo or mail, must establish a dangerous goods training program that meets the requirements of Part 6 of the TDG Regulations and establish dangerous goods policies and procedures in their operations manual to allow personnel to:
    • (a) identify and reject undeclared dangerous goods, including COMAT classified as dangerous goods;
    • (b) report any occasions when undeclared dangerous goods are discovered in cargo or mail, and report any dangerous goods accidents or incidents;
    • (c) report any occasions when dangerous goods are discovered to have been carried:
      • (i) when not loaded, segregated, separated or secured in accordance with the ICAO TI, Part 7, Chapter 2; and
      • (ii) without information having been provided to the pilot-in-command;
    • (d) accept, handle, store, transport, load and unload dangerous goods, including COMAT classified as dangerous goods as cargo on board an aircraft;
    • (e) provide the pilot-in-command with accurate and legible written or printed information concerning dangerous goods that are to be carried as cargo; and
    • (f) identify dangerous goods permitted in passenger/crew baggage.
  • (2) Air operators who do not transport dangerous goods as cargo (i.e., transport mail and/or passengers/crew baggage) must establish a dangerous goods training program that meets the requirements of Part 6 of the TDG Regulations and establish dangerous goods policies and procedures in their operations manual to allow personnel to:
    • (a) identify and reject declared and undeclared dangerous goods, including COMAT classified as dangerous goods;
    • (b) report any occasions when undeclared dangerous goods are discovered in cargo or mail, and report any dangerous goods accidents or incidents; and
    • (c) identify dangerous goods permitted in passenger/crew baggage.
  • (3) All air operators must submit their dangerous goods policies and procedures in their COM and dangerous goods training program(s) to Transport Canada (TC) in order to receive their Dangerous Goods Special Authorization.
  • (4) All air operators must submit any amended dangerous goods training program(s) and/or amended dangerous goods policies and procedures in their COM to TC when a change occurs in order to maintain their Dangerous Goods Special Authorization.

4.0 Content of dangerous goods policies and procedures in the COM and training program(s)

4.1 Content of training program(s)

  • (1) All aspects of training are listed in section 6.2 of the TDG Regulations. This section stipulates that the training must cover the listed topics that relate directly to the person’s duties and the dangerous goods being handled, offered for transport or transported.
  • (2) Section 6.2 of the TDG Regulations also stipulates that the training must cover the aspects of training set out in Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the ICAO TI. These aspects of training differ depending on the personnel being trained. For example, the training of shippers (stores personnel) varies from the training of ground handlers, acceptance staff, passenger handling staff, flight crew members and flight attendants.
  • (3) The training must include a general philosophy that informs employees of the scope, applicability and requirements of the TDG Act and TDG Regulations and if applicable the use of sections 12.4 to 12.17 of the TDG Regulations. The training must also include the identification and application of the ICAO TI, the determination of exemptions and the limitations, and state variations.
  • (4) Training may be done through a combination of formal training, on-the-job training, or a statement of experience. Subsection 6.3(1) of the TDG Regulations stipulates that the employer is responsible for determining if an employee is adequately trained.
  • (5) When submitting a training program for approval, a syllabus is not sufficient. The content of the training, test(s), and answer keys must be provided

4.2 Content of the dangerous goods policies and procedures in the COM

  • (1) The content of the dangerous goods policies and procedures must parallel the training program(s). The procedures must document the activities related to the topics listed in section 6.2 of the TDG Regulations and if applicable the use of sections 12.4 to 12.17, of the TDG Regulations. The topics listed in Chapter 4 of Part 1 of the ICAO TI, the person’s duties, and the dangerous goods being handled, offered for transport or transported.
  • (2) When submitting dangerous goods policies and procedures in the COM for approval, a table of contents is not sufficient. The dangerous goods policies and procedures must be provided.

5.0 Approval of dangerous goods policies and procedures in the COM and training program(s)

  • (1) Air operators must complete the “Application for review of dangerous goods policies and procedures and training programs” form and submit their dangerous goods policies and procedures in the COM and their training program(s) to the TDG Directorate at the following address: TC.TDGAviation-TMDAviation.TC@tc.gc.ca
  • (2) This form is accessible through the TC web page http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/corp-serv-gen/5/forms-formulaires/search and the form number is: 16-0090E.
  • (3) When the review of the documents is completed, the TDG Directorate will send their recommendation to TCCA.
  • (4) TCCA will issue the DG Special Authorization when satisfied that the requirements of the CARs, the CASS, the TDG Act and the TDG Regulations have been met.

6.0 Information management

  • (1) Not applicable.

7.0 Document history

  • (1) Advisory Circular: (AC) 700-001 Issue 04, RDIMS 14579073 (E), 14580254 (F), dated 2018-11-15 — Dangerous Goods Special Authorization;
  • (2) Advisory Circular: (AC) 700-001 Issue 03, RDIMS 11973063 (E), 11973105 (F), dated 2016-05-29 — Dangerous Goods Special Authorization;
  • (3) Advisory Circular. (AC) 700-001 Issue 02, RDIMS 5807773 (E), 5808672 (F), dated 2010-07-16 — Procedures for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods to the Company Operations Manual; and
  • (4) Advisory Circular. (AC) 700-001 Issue 01, RDIMS 1885260 (E), 2153830 (F), dated 2007-09-17 — Procedures for the Carriage of Dangerous Goods to the Company Operations Manual.

8.0 Contact us

For more information, please contact:

TDG Compliance and Response Branch – ASDB
E-mail: TC.TDGAviation-TMDAviation.TC@tc.gc.ca

Suggestions for amendment to this document are invited, and should be submitted via the same e-mail as above.

Original signed by

Félix Meunier
Director, Standards
Civil Aviation
Transport Canada