> I always thought it interesting that on the load manifest given to the crew it said:
O2 CANISTERS - "EMPTY"
Why was "empty" put in quotations? Implies to me the loaders at least knew they were more dangerous than regular parts. Also, even empty they were not supposed to be loaded. <
Well if one accepts the fact that they were not trained in Hazmat, then they may have simply concluded that there would be no O2 coming out even though the canisters still weighed the same. Also, without the training they had no way of knowing that VJ did not have a certificate to carry this standard airplane part as cargo when other folks did.
In this case ignorance was their best defense and the newest quirk in the case is that is all they can be found liable for.