and in groups. For example, when you want to see whether a product is RoHS
compliant, you need to verify all information, such as the lead content of a
part that you purchased from a supplier. If data is omitted, the ideal solution
would automatically request that the supplier provide you with the exact
lead-weight percentage of the product and confirm when the data arrives.
Working with Hazardous Materials ............................................................
It should go without saying that there are serious consequences associated
with producing, handling, and shipping hazardous materials and dangerous
goods, particularly if improper procedures are involved. Accidents while
transporting these materials are of special concern, which is why a well-
structured rubric of standardized procedures, methods, and regulations
has been established to help ensure public and environmental safety.
Hazardous materials and dangerous goods work their way up and down the
supply chain, from outside, on your vendor side, and from within, to your
customers. Along the way, extreme care must be taken to store these buga-
boos when and where needed. Meantime, you must know exactly where they
are, and you must know how much there are, as well. To guarantee maximum
control and subsequent adherence to applicable industry regulations, you
need to establish a system whose functionality enables your operational
teams to transparently maintain all dangerous goods master data, including
their automatic classification using expert rules.
The laws that regulate the transportation of hazardous materials and danger-
ous goods are those we mentioned earlier in this chapter in the section called
“Defining hazardous materials.”
Packing.................................................................................................
In the United States, the Hazardous Materials Regulation (HMR), created by
the Department of Transportation (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA), outlines the rules for packing all hazardous
materials and dangerous goods so that they can be safely transported. The
HMR stipulates how to
Classify and package hazardous materials
Mark and label packages
Complete shipping papers
Provide required emergency response information
Chapter 12: Making Your Products Environmentally Friendly 227
