Widebody Transport
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 18158; Flight Crew Type 1257
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors
5;916 pounds (2;689 kilos) of lithium ion batteries & lithium metal batteries onboard but no pilot notification form required. At gate had reviewed pilot bulletin regarding dangerous goods paperwork required prior to taxi. Expecting dangerous goods paperwork since service form showed 'yes' dangerous goods planned. Received final weights but no dangerous goods form. Called ops to confirm no dangerous goods loaded. Ops said that we didn't need paperwork for the dangerous goods onboard. We didn't understand the statement so we contacted Load Planning. Load Planning said they showed that the dangerous goods pilot notification form wasn't required because it was originally required for fuel in an engine that wasn't boarded due to space in aircraft. However; we did have 4 pallets totaling 20;000 lbs of which there were 5;000 lbs of 'unregulated dangerous goods' which didn't require a pilot notification form. Say what??? After further discussion and explanation; Captain asked Load Planning to send him an ACARS message with the employees name and file number accompanying a statement saying that we 'didn't need a dangerous goods form for the 5;000 lbs of 'unregulated dangerous goods' we were carrying. Load Planning refused to do so. They said they 'couldn't do that'. So....Load Planning tells us we are NOT required to have a form but refuses to 'put it in writing with a name and file number'. Not very reassuring and now all of the crew is feeling much more concerned about the safety of this cargo. Contacted Chief Pilot. Explained the situation and asked him to send us something confirming we didn't need any paperwork for the 5;000 lbs of 'dangerous goods' we were carrying. He refused until doing some fact finding. Good job Chief Pilot! Several minutes later we got an ACARS message explaining that we in fact didn't need a form even though we were carrying 5;916 pounds (2;689 kilos) of lithium ion batteries & lithium metal batteries. These items are considered dangerous goods but they are not fully regulated. As such; a pilot notification of dangerous goods is not required. We accepted Chief Pilot explanation and departed. Biggest issue is the fact that we had 5;916 lbs of hazardous cargo buried in 4 pallets weighing 20;000lbs and normally wouldn't have a clue it was there. We only knew about it by mistake. If the engine with fuel in it hadn't been planned as cargo; we would have never known anything about the 5;916 lbs of dangerous goods. Trust. Load planning saying 'its fine' but not willing to send us a message saying 'no paperwork required'. Is the aircraft cargo fire suppression system capable of handling a cargo fire with 5;916lbs of lithium ion and lithium metal batteries for 3 hours or more over the Pacific Ocean?? Just because it's 'unregulated' doesn't make it safe!! Maybe it should be regulated?
[Report narrative contained no additional information]
Flight crew reported transport of over 5;000 pounds of 'Unregulated Dangerous Goods' HAZMAT required no pilot notification.