726 Postal Service Handling

726.1 Acceptance Personnel

In addition to the basic guidelines in 251, acceptance personnel must follow the Aviation Mail Security Hazardous Materials Program Instructions for the acceptance of hazardous materials. Ensure the following:

1. Each mailpiece presented contains a mailable hazardous material that is properly packaged and labeled.
2. If required, the mailpiece bears the required shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods (see 326 and 725.3).
3. The mailpiece is eligible for air transportation and mailed as Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail, or First-Class Package International Service, as permitted.
4. These mailpieces must never be marked “Surface Mail” or “Surface Mail Only.”

Note: For safety reasons, mailers are not permitted to pay postage at Priority Mail Express or Priority Mail prices for mailpieces containing hazardous materials that are not eligible for air transportation.

726.2 Dispatch Personnel

In addition to the basic guidelines in 252, Postal Service personnel involved with mail dispatch via air transportation must follow the Aviation Mail Security, Hazardous Materials Program Instructions and the POM. These policy statements provide interim field instructions for handling mailpieces containing hazardous materials within mail processing areas and the proper tendering of such mail to the air carriers.