What does the ORM-D Designation Mean?
ORM-D stands for Other Regulated Materials, Domestic. It is a designation assigned by the U.S. Department of Transportation to denote a small amount of material that can be considered a hazardous substance, but packaged in a form intended or suitable for retail sale. Often, the material may be mildly hazardous, but when combined with other hazardous substances, it may represent a significant risk. A simple example is a can of compressed air. Often when cans of compressed air are shipped by airplane, because of the extraordinary atmospheric pressure resulting from flying at high altitudes, the can of compressed air will explode. While an exploding can of compressed air may not present a significant danger in itself, it can pose a great danger if it explodes in proximity to other volatile products. • Why can’t ORM-D items ship by air and only ship by surface? Due to the potential for a catastrophic event as a result of pressures at high altitudes and the fact that some air shipments trav
