Narrative:

I was the captain on flight alb-syr-yyz. Without my knowledge, we carried 4 cases of cleaning supplies (24 cans in 2 cases, 12 cans in 2 cases) from alb to our final destination of yyz. The cans were aerosol type cans. What I was told from my ramp agent was we had 50 pounds of company (hazmat) so I included the 50 pounds on my manifest, and away we went. As a company policy, pilots are not required to check baggage. We rely on ramp personnel to give us a baggage count so we can include the weight on our load manifest. As we pulled up to the gate in yyz, we were met by 2 inspectors from transport canada who inspected our baggage and found the 4 cases. This was my first knowledge we had this on board. The inspectors referenced to the (hazmat) as 'dangerous goods.' they, in turn, held us up on loading until they were satisfied with the information I provided to them. I feel this problem could have been prevented with proper training of the goods we cannot transport by air (hazmat). The ramp personnel must know what can and cannot be shipped by air. I feel this is not the responsibility of the crew members to check the baggage areas before each flight. It certainly is not expected from a widebody transport crew, so likewise, and can't be expected from an light transport crew. Loading bags is the responsibility of ramp personnel, and they must be trained and remember what can and cannot be put onto an aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF ACR LTT ACFT INADVERTENTLY CARRIED HAZARDOUS CARGO.

Narrative: I WAS THE CAPT ON FLT ALB-SYR-YYZ. WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE, WE CARRIED 4 CASES OF CLEANING SUPPLIES (24 CANS IN 2 CASES, 12 CANS IN 2 CASES) FROM ALB TO OUR FINAL DEST OF YYZ. THE CANS WERE AEROSOL TYPE CANS. WHAT I WAS TOLD FROM MY RAMP AGENT WAS WE HAD 50 LBS OF COMPANY (HAZMAT) SO I INCLUDED THE 50 LBS ON MY MANIFEST, AND AWAY WE WENT. AS A COMPANY POLICY, PLTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO CHK BAGGAGE. WE RELY ON RAMP PERSONNEL TO GIVE US A BAGGAGE COUNT SO WE CAN INCLUDE THE WT ON OUR LOAD MANIFEST. AS WE PULLED UP TO THE GATE IN YYZ, WE WERE MET BY 2 INSPECTORS FROM TRANSPORT CANADA WHO INSPECTED OUR BAGGAGE AND FOUND THE 4 CASES. THIS WAS MY FIRST KNOWLEDGE WE HAD THIS ON BOARD. THE INSPECTORS REFED TO THE (HAZMAT) AS 'DANGEROUS GOODS.' THEY, IN TURN, HELD US UP ON LOADING UNTIL THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE INFO I PROVIDED TO THEM. I FEEL THIS PROB COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED WITH PROPER TRAINING OF THE GOODS WE CANNOT TRANSPORT BY AIR (HAZMAT). THE RAMP PERSONNEL MUST KNOW WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE SHIPPED BY AIR. I FEEL THIS IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CREW MEMBERS TO CHK THE BAGGAGE AREAS BEFORE EACH FLT. IT CERTAINLY IS NOT EXPECTED FROM A WDB CREW, SO LIKEWISE, AND CAN'T BE EXPECTED FROM AN LTT CREW. LOADING BAGS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF RAMP PERSONNEL, AND THEY MUST BE TRAINED AND REMEMBER WHAT CAN AND CANNOT BE PUT ONTO AN ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.