Narrative:

Shortly before departure, I was presented with 3 airbills reflecting a shipment of batteries containing alkaline. Airbill #X had 1 with a weight of 43.8 KG, airbill #Y contained 2 at 38.2 KG each, and airbill #Z had 3 at 38.2 KG each. Total weight of the shipment was 234.8 KG. I contacted mr X utilizing the cargo hotline and he informed me that 25 KG was the limit for class 8 material unless it was considered comat, which it was not. For the record, I would have rejected the shipment even if properly classified because I will always follow the more restrictive or conservative path which is supposed to be commensurate with that of my airline. Gentlemen, you are not changing the physical properties of the shipment by calling it by another name. This system of comat/hazmat carriage needs revamping now or we will be making headlines next.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAZARDOUS CARGO PROB PROC UNCOVERED DURING LOADING PROC CARGO OF ALKALINE BATTERIES AT EWR, NJ. PIC OF A300 REFUSED SHIPMENT WHICH WAS MISLABELED AND EXCEEDED WT CRITERION FOR SUBJECT MATERIAL.

Narrative: SHORTLY BEFORE DEP, I WAS PRESENTED WITH 3 AIRBILLS REFLECTING A SHIPMENT OF BATTERIES CONTAINING ALKALINE. AIRBILL #X HAD 1 WITH A WT OF 43.8 KG, AIRBILL #Y CONTAINED 2 AT 38.2 KG EACH, AND AIRBILL #Z HAD 3 AT 38.2 KG EACH. TOTAL WT OF THE SHIPMENT WAS 234.8 KG. I CONTACTED MR X UTILIZING THE CARGO HOTLINE AND HE INFORMED ME THAT 25 KG WAS THE LIMIT FOR CLASS 8 MATERIAL UNLESS IT WAS CONSIDERED COMAT, WHICH IT WAS NOT. FOR THE RECORD, I WOULD HAVE REJECTED THE SHIPMENT EVEN IF PROPERLY CLASSIFIED BECAUSE I WILL ALWAYS FOLLOW THE MORE RESTRICTIVE OR CONSERVATIVE PATH WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO BE COMMENSURATE WITH THAT OF MY AIRLINE. GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE NOT CHANGING THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE SHIPMENT BY CALLING IT BY ANOTHER NAME. THIS SYS OF COMAT/HAZMAT CARRIAGE NEEDS REVAMPING NOW OR WE WILL BE MAKING HEADLINES NEXT.

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.