Orlando Blandon - BDP Los Angeles, USA

Warehouse Manager
Employee Dedication Award Winner

Orlando Blandon demonstrated exceptional customer service by personally driving to OOCL's trucker's depot in Los Angeles, and during BDP's month-end operations, to attach four hazardous materials transportation placards -on behalf of the exporter- to an export container. Orlando's quick thinking and concern to make a difference kept the process moving along to prevent further delays and additional costs for the exporter.

The container included sporting goods equipment destined to a U.S. military base in Kuwait City. The container also included three small cartons of Ping-pong balls, made from celluloid, which is considered a Class 4.1, Flammable Solid, hazardous material. Cellulose based plastics contain properties that can sizzle and burn if set on fire (http://www.packagingtoday.com/introcelluloid.htm).

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The undeclared dangerous goods were overlooked by the exporter at the time the container was packed and released to the rail en route from Dallas, Texas to the West Coast. The dangerous goods issue was noticed when Denise Graham, Air Export Product Leader - BDP Dallas-US, questioned a commodity description on the commercial invoice during BDP's EEI (or AES) submission process to the U.S. Census Bureau. The exporter was aware that the balls were packed in the container, although unknowingly, did not alert BDP of the hazardous status. Fortunately, the Ping-pong ball shipment was a "limited quantity" where the outer packaging did not need to be marked and labeled as a hazardous material due to size, circumventing further delays to have the container unpacked and reloaded. Simultaneously, Denise secured the Dangerous Goods Declaration and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and updated the booking, submitted compliant export commodity data to BDP Transport and to Census, and dispatched a complete set of export documents to BDP's partner in Kuwait, who will arrange shipment clearance and delivery to the U.S. military base.

BDP Testimonial 1
On behalf of Sports Supply Group and the BDP Dallas office, I would like to say that we are extremely grateful for your dropping everything on Friday to do this for us. I know that just having to get into your car and drive to the OOCL truckers depot on a Friday afternoon, when you are already busy, to put these hazardous placards on all four sides of the container must have been extremely inconvenient. This was due to the exporter unknowingly moving hazardous cargo which resulted in a great deal of unexpected costs, including the fines and penalties imposed by the carrier. So your jumping in and handling this for us meant that this container did not have to be pulled into the BDP Los Angeles warehouse to be unpacked and reloaded. You personally saved our customer a great deal of money. We really appreciate your help with this situation.

Jane Zellers - BDP Dallas, USA

BDP Testimonial 2

Orlando saved the day!
Orlando - you are the best! I really appreciate you taking your time to do this for us. I know that we are all on the same team but you personify "team work"! Send me your vendor number and charges - whatever you charge me I'm going to add an additional amount for TEAM WORK. I hope the BDP Los Angeles team realizes what you have in Orlando - Above and beyond the call of duty to help.

Denise Graham - BDP Dallas, USA

A BDP TEAM Effort
It is always a pleasure to be able to help my team members, further more if it is to make BDP look and do good for our customers and partners. We are here to support and compliment each other to provide the best possible service to each and every one of our clients. Thank you for having come to me and allowing me to help you any way I can, and know that we are here for your needs any time, any day.

Orlando Blandon - BDP Los Angeles, USA