Dangerous Goods

Dangerous & Restricted Goods

Quick Summary: How to declare dangerous or restricted items on your products so couriers can process them correctly.

Overview

Some products are classified as dangerous goods (also called hazardous materials or hazmat) under international shipping regulations. Items like lithium batteries, liquids, magnetised materials, and certain chemicals are subject to special handling and documentation requirements.

When you declare dangerous goods on your products in Floship, the system uses that information to:

Select courier services that accept the item type
Flag orders that may need additional safety documents
Prevent label generation failures due to undeclared hazmat restrictions

Important: Dangerous goods regulations vary by courier, destination country, and item type. Contact your Account Manager before shipping any restricted items to confirm carrier acceptance and documentation requirements.

Declaring Dangerous Goods on Products

When creating or editing a product, use the dangerous goods checkboxes to declare items correctly:

Field	When to Enable
Has Battery	Product contains or is packed with batteries
Battery Type	Select the battery chemistry (e.g., lithium-ion, lithium-metal)
Battery Weight	Enter the gross battery weight in kg
Has Liquids	Product contains liquids
HazMAT	Product contains other dangerous materials not covered above

When dangerous goods are declared, you may need to upload supporting documents such as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) or UN 38.3 test reports. Upload them on the product detail page.

Tip: Incorrect or missing dangerous goods declarations can cause courier rejections, shipment delays, or additional charges. Declare all items accurately.

Dangerous Goods Classifications

The following nine classes are used in international shipping regulations (based on IATA/UN classification). Knowing your product's class helps you communicate with your Account Manager about shipping options.

Class	Type	Examples
Class 1	Explosives	Dynamite, fireworks
Class 2	Gases	Lighters, carbon dioxide, aerosol sprays
Class 3	Flammable Liquids	Paints, alcohol, petrol
Class 4	Flammable Solids	Matches, sodium
Class 5	Oxidising Substances / Organic Peroxides	Bleaches
Class 6	Toxic / Infectious Substances	Nicotine, pesticide, bacteria
Class 7	Radioactive Material	Uranium, plutonium
Class 8	Corrosives	Battery acids, mercury
Class 9	Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods	Asbestos, lithium batteries, magnetised material

Note: Not all couriers accept all classes. Availability depends on the courier, route, and your account configuration.

Lithium Batteries

Lithium batteries are the most common dangerous goods in e-commerce shipments. They are regulated as Class 9 and split into two main types:

Battery Type	UN Number	Common In
Lithium-ion (rechargeable)	UN 3480 / UN 3481	Power banks, laptops, smartphones, e-bikes
Lithium-metal (non-rechargeable)	UN 3090 / UN 3091	Watches, calculators, some medical devices

Regulations also depend on how the batteries are shipped:

Contained in equipment (e.g., phone with battery installed) — usually fewer restrictions
Packed with equipment (e.g., battery alongside device in same box) — moderate restrictions
Shipped without equipment (e.g., standalone batteries) — strictest regime

Most couriers require that lithium batteries be tested to UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III Subsection 38.3, and an MSDS is usually required.

Warning: Lithium battery shipping regulations are complex and change frequently. Always verify current requirements with your Account Manager before shipping.

Prohibited Items

The following items are commonly prohibited or heavily restricted by most couriers under IATA and UPU regulations:

Explosives, ammunition, or fireworks
Compressed gases and flammable aerosols
Flammable liquids (paints, solvents, fuels)
Radioactive materials
Live animals or insects
Illegal drugs or controlled substances
Obscene, offensive, or libellous material
Counterfeit goods or items infringing intellectual property
Weapons, firearms, bladed items, or martial arts equipment

Food supplements and pharmaceutical products may be restricted depending on the destination country and may require licences or certificates.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list. Each courier maintains its own list of prohibited and restricted items. Check with your Account Manager or the courier's published terms before shipping.

Magnetised Material

Items containing magnets (speakers, hard drives, magnetic toys) may be classified as dangerous goods if the magnetic field exceeds certain limits. The thresholds are defined in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and vary by field strength at specified distances from the package.

If your product contains magnets, declare it under HazMAT on the product and contact your Account Manager for guidance. An MSDS and testing certification may be required.

Workflows

Workflow: Declare a Product as Dangerous Goods

When: You have a product that contains batteries, liquids, or other restricted materials.

Steps:

Navigate to Inventory → Products and open the product
Under dangerous goods, enable the relevant checkboxes (Has Battery, Has Liquids, HazMAT)
If enabling Has Battery, select the Battery Type and enter the Battery Weight
Upload any required supporting documents (MSDS, test reports)
Click Save
Contact your Account Manager to confirm courier acceptance for the declared item

Result: The product is marked for dangerous goods handling. The system will use this information when selecting couriers and generating labels.

Workflow: Check If an Item Can Ship

When: You are unsure whether a product can be shipped through your available couriers.