CASA 50/20 — Dangerous Goods (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2020N00115 Not in force Notifiable Instrument

Legislation content

Instrument number CASA 50/20

I, WARREN CRAIG MARTIN, Executive Manager, Regulatory Services & Surveillance, a delegate of CASA, having taken into account relevant considerations relating to the safe carriage of dangerous goods on an aircraft, make this instrument under section 23 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.

[Signed C. Martin]

Craig Martin
Executive Manager, Regulatory Services & Surveillance

9 October 2020

CASA 50/20 Dangerous Goods (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020

1 Name

 This instrument is CASA 50/20 — Dangerous Goods (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020.

2 Duration

 This instrument:

(a) commences on the day after it is registered; and

(b) is repealed at the end of 30 September 2023.

3 Definitions

Note   In this instrument, certain terms and expressions have the same meaning as they have in the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the regulations. These include: AOC, Australian territory, carry-on baggage and registered.

 In this instrument:

accountable person, in relation to a relevant Australian aircraft, means each of the owner, operator, hirer and pilot of the aircraft.

adverse reaction means any of the following:

(a) release of hazardous chemical fumes;

(b) dangerous evolution of heat;

(c) an explosive, toxic or otherwise dangerous reaction.

AFP officer means any of the following, within the meaning of subsection 4 (1) of the Australian Federal Police Act 1979:

(a) a member of the Australian Federal Police, ARN 1011643;

(b) a special member.

AFP procedures means procedures of the Australian Federal Police that describe how AFP officers must pack permitted dangerous goods for air transport, as existing at the time this instrument commences.

compatible, in relation to a material and dangerous goods, means the material and dangerous goods will not react with each other to cause an adverse reaction.

dangerous goods has the meaning given by subsection 23 (3) of the Act.

dangerous goods accident has the meaning given by subregulation 92.010 (1) of CASR.

dangerous goods incident has the meaning given by subregulation 92.010 (1) of CASR.

liquid full, in relation to a device, means filled so that ullage is not present in the device.

permeation device means a capsule containing a chemical compound in a 2phase equilibrium between its gas phase and its liquid, or solid, phase.

permitted dangerous goods means explosive trace detection equipment that is classified as “UN 2911 Radioactive material, excepted package – articles” and contains a permeation device.

radioactive material warning label means a label that is the same as Figure 5  33 in the Technical Instructions, as it exists at the time this instrument commences.

relevant Australian aircraft means a registered aircraft that is operated by the holder of an AOC.

Technical Instructions has the meaning given by subregulation 92.010 (1) of CASR.

UN, followed by a 4-digit number, has the meaning given by regulation 92.170 of CASR.

4 Permissions

 (1)For paragraphs 23 (2) (b) and (2A) (b) of the Act, an AFP officer is permitted to carry permitted dangerous goods as carry-on baggage on board a relevant Australian aircraft for a flight within Australian territory.

 (2)For paragraphs 23 (1) (b), (2) (b) and (2A) (b) of the Act, the accountable person for a relevant Australian aircraft is permitted to carry permitted dangerous goods, which have been carried under subsection (1), in the cabin of the relevant Australian aircraft for a flight within Australian territory.

 (3) The permission in subsection (1) is subject to the conditions stated for an AFP officer in sections 5 and 7.

 (4) The permission in subsection (2) is subject to the following conditions:

(a) for an operator  the conditions stated in sections 6 and 7;

Note   The conditions in section 7 apply to an operator as an accountable person.

(b) for the pilot in command of a relevant Australian aircraft  the conditions stated in section 7;

Note   The conditions in section 7 apply to the pilot as an accountable person.

(c) for an accountable person, other than an operator or pilot of a relevant Australian aircraft  the conditions stated for an accountable person in section 7.

Note   Under subregulation 92.025 (2) of CASR, it is a condition of the carriage of dangerous goods on an aircraft that the operator of the aircraft complies with the requirements of the Technical Instructions stated in that subregulation.

Also, under subregulation 92.030 (2) of CASR, subject to subregulation 92.030 (3) of CASR, it is a condition of the carriage of dangerous goods on an aircraft by a passenger that the passenger complies with the requirements of the Technical Instructions stated in subregulation (2).

5 Conditions AFP officer

 (1)An AFP officer must not carry permitted dangerous goods as carry-on baggage unless:

(a) the officer is travelling for the purpose of official duties; and

(b) the permitted dangerous goods are necessary for the AFP officer to perform the officer’s official duties.

 (2)An AFP officer must:

(a) not carry permitted dangerous goods as carry-on baggage on a flight of a relevant Australian aircraft unless the officer has first received written approval from the operator of the aircraft; and

(b) package and prepare permitted dangerous goods, and present them to the operator’s check-in staff, in accordance with AFP procedures.

6 Conditions  operator of relevant Australian aircraft

 (1)An operator of a relevant Australian aircraft must not carry permitted dangerous goods as the carry-on baggage of an AFP officer unless the operator has conducted a risk assessment in relation to the proposed carriage of the permitted dangerous goods.

 (2) An operator of a relevant Australian aircraft must not carry permitted dangerous goods as the carry-on baggage of an AFP officer unless the Australian Federal Police has provided the operator with the AFP procedures.

 (3)An operator of a relevant aircraft must provide CASA with a copy of any risk assessment conducted under subsection (1) within 5 business days of receiving a written request from CASA to provide a copy of the risk assessment.

 (4) An operator of a relevant Australian aircraft must:

(a) ensure that the AFP procedures include measures that have effect to place AFP officers on notice of the obligation mentioned in paragraph 7 (2) (a); and

(b) provide CASA with a copy of the AFP procedures within 5 business days of receiving a written request from CASA for the operator to provide a copy of the procedures; and

(c) give CASA at least 14 days written notice of any proposed amendment to its procedures that affects the carriage of permitted dangerous goods.

Note   The conditions in this instrument apply in addition to a person’s obligations under the Act and Part 92 of CASR, including regulation 92.055 of CASR.

7 General conditions

 (1)An AFP officer, and each accountable person for a relevant Australian aircraft, must not carry permitted dangerous goods as carry-on baggage unless:

(a) an internal surface of the package containing the permitted dangerous goods displays a radioactive material warning label that is easily visible after opening the package; and

(b) each permeation device is constructed of a material that is compatible with the permitted dangerous goods it contains; and

(c) the total contents of permitted dangerous goods in each permeation device does not exceed 8 mL and each device is not liquid full at 55°C; and

(d) the inner packaging for each permeation device is contained in a secondary packaging constructed of:

 (i) metal; or

 (ii) plastic that has a minimum thickness of 1.5 mm; and

(e) the secondary packaging for each permeation device is hermetically sealed, and securely packed in strong packaging; and

(f) the secondary packaging for each permeation device is capable of withstanding, without breakage or leakage of any inner packaging and without significant reduction in effectiveness:

 (i) each of the following free drops of the package from a height of 1.8 m onto a rigid, non-resilient, flat and horizontal surface:

(A) 1 drop flat on the bottom of the package; and

(B) 1 drop flat on the top of the package; and

(C) 1 drop flat on the long side of the package; and

(D) 1 drop flat on the short side of the package; and

 (ii) a force, equivalent to the total weight of a stack of identical packages (where the package includes a test sample of the permeation device) stacked to a height of 3 m applied to the top surface of the package for a duration of 24 hours; and

(g) the gross mass of the completed package as carry-on baggage does not exceed 23 kg.

 (2)In the event of a dangerous goods accident or dangerous goods incident involving the carriage of permitted dangerous goods under this instrument:

(a) if the AFP officer becomes aware of the accident or incident — the officer must immediately report it in writing to the aircraft’s operator; and

(b) when an accountable person becomes aware of the accident or incident — the person must ensure that it is immediately reported in writing to CASA.

 

Overview

The Civil Aviation Act 1988 was enacted to provide for the regulation of civil aviation and to ensure the safety and security of air transport within Australia. A significant problem it sought to address was the safe carriage of dangerous goods on aircraft, which necessitated strict regulatory oversight to prevent hazardous incidents. The Australian Parliament introduced the Act to establish a comprehensive legal framework governing civil aviation, including provisions for the handling of dangerous goods. The policy objective was to ensure that air transport operations within Australia are conducted safely, efficiently, and in compliance with international standards. The Civil Aviation (Dangerous Goods) (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020 was issued by Warren Craig Martin, the Executive Manager of Regulatory Services and Surveillance at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), under section 23 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988. This notifiable instrument permits Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers to carry explosive trace detection equipment, classified as "UN 2911 Radioactive material, excepted package – articles," on board commercial flights within Australian territory. This permission is subject to stringent conditions to ensure safety, including requirements for risk assessments, compliance with AFP packing procedures, and adherence to packaging specifications to prevent adverse reactions. The instrument aims to balance the need for effective security measures with the imperative of maintaining the safety of air transport.

Scope and Application

CASA 50/20—Dangerous Goods (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020 applies to Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers and accountable persons of relevant Australian aircraft. A relevant Australian aircraft is defined as a registered aircraft operated by a holder of an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The Act permits AFP officers to carry explosive trace detection equipment as carry-on baggage on flights within Australian territory, provided they are travelling for official duties and the equipment is necessary for their duties. Accountable persons are permitted to carry the equipment in the cabin of a relevant Australian aircraft for flights within Australian territory. These permissions are subject to conditions including the need for a risk assessment by the aircraft operator, adherence to AFP procedures, and compliance with packaging and labelling requirements. The instrument specifies detailed conditions for the carriage of the permitted dangerous goods, including packaging, labelling, and reporting requirements in the event of an accident or incident. These provisions are designed to ensure the safe carriage of dangerous goods on commercial flights within Australia. The instrument itself is subject to repeal at the end of 30 September 2023, although it may be extended or amended by subordinate instruments under the authority of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.

Key Provisions

The primary operative sections of CASA 50/20 — Dangerous Goods (Explosive Trace Detection Equipment on Commercial Flights) Permission 2020 include the definitions, permissions, and conditions under which Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers and accountable persons can carry explosive trace detection equipment as carry-on baggage on Australian aircraft. Section 2 defines key terms used throughout the instrument, such as "accountable person," "permitted dangerous goods," and "radioactive material warning label." Section 4 grants permissions for AFP officers and accountable persons to carry permitted dangerous goods under specific conditions. These permissions are subject to the conditions outlined in sections 5, 6, and 7, which detail requirements such as risk assessments, compliance with AFP procedures, and adherence to packaging and labelling standards. The obligations imposed by the Act include the necessity for AFP officers to obtain written approval from aircraft operators before carrying permitted dangerous goods as carry-on baggage and to package and prepare these goods according to AFP procedures. Operators of relevant Australian aircraft must conduct a risk assessment, provide CASA with a copy of this assessment and the AFP procedures, and notify CASA of any proposed amendments to their procedures that affect the carriage of permitted dangerous goods. Furthermore, accountable persons, including AFP officers, must ensure that the packaging of permitted dangerous goods complies with the specified standards, such as displaying a radioactive material warning label, using compatible materials, and adhering to weight and packaging requirements. Breaches of the conditions specified in the instrument may result in civil or criminal consequences. Although the instrument does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties, violations of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations can lead to substantial penalties. For example, under the Civil Aviation Act 1988, a person who contravenes a regulation may be liable to a fine of up to $22,200 for an individual offence or $111,000 for a continuing offence. Additionally, under the Criminal Code, a person who recklessly engages in conduct that creates a serious risk of death or grievous bodily harm can be subject to imprisonment for up to 10 years. Therefore, non-compliance with the conditions outlined in the instrument may expose individuals and operators to these potential penalties and consequences.

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Civil Aviation Law
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Regulation
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Definitions & Interpretation
Commencement Provisions
Prohibited Conduct
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.