DETROIT-The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposes a $195,000 civil penalty against S. Vitale Pyrotechnic Industries of New Castle, Penn., for allegedly violating Hazardous Materials Regulations.
The FAA alleges that on June 17, 2014, the company allegedly offered an undeclared hazardous material shipment to Delta Air Lines for transport aboard a passenger flight from Detroit to Los Angeles. The shipment included four 20-gallon tanks containing some propane, which is a flammable gas. The Transportation Security Administration discovered the shipment during cargo screening.
Regulations prohibit propane from being transported on passenger-carrying aircraft. The FAA alleges the propane tanks in the shipment were not manufactured to withstand the pressure that would arise in any aircraft.
The FAA also alleges the shipment was not accompanied by shipping papers to indicate the hazardous nature of its contents or properly marked, labeled, or packaged. Additionally, the FAA alleges that Vitale failed to ensure its employees had received required hazardous materials training and did not include emergency response information with the shipment
Vitale has 30 days from receipt of the FAA’s enforcement letter to respond to the agency.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
