THE RPTR FO HAPPENED TO NOTICE 8 BUCKETS OF FREIGHT BEING LOADED ON HIS ACFT. WHEN HE READ THE MANUFACTURER'S WARNING LABEL HE LEARNED THE CONTENTS CAN CAUSE DIZZINESS; NAUSEA; VOMITING; AND TO USE IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA. THERE WAS NO HAZMAT LABEL FOR SHIPPING. HE HAD THE FREIGHT REMOVED FROM THE ACFT.

Narrative

DURING PREFLT WALKAROUND; I NOTICED SEVERAL 5 GAL PLASTIC BUCKETS BEING LOADED INTO THE AFT BIN. CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE CARRYING; I ASKED TO SEE THE LAST BUCKET BEFORE IT WAS LOADED. NO HAZMAT STICKERS WERE VISIBLE ON THE OUTSIDE. THE MANUFACTURER'S LABEL STATED 'WARNING -- IRRITANT -- USE IN WELL VENTILATED AREA -- MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS; NAUSEA; VOMITING.' ONE OF THE RAMP PERSONNEL INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS PRODUCT HAD BEEN SHIPPED. PREVIOUSLY; HE WAS CONCERNED ENOUGH THAT HE TRIED TO HAVE THE CARGO REMOVED. I CONTACTED THE RAMP SUPVR; WHO DIRECTED ME TO OPS. I CALLED AND DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH DISPATCH. OPS CONTACTED AIR FREIGHT AND REQUESTED THE PROPER PRODUCT NAME AND MSDS SHEET. NONE WERE AVAILABLE. GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES; DISPATCH CONCURRED THAT THE FREIGHT WAS PROBABLY UNDOCUMENTED HAZMAT AND IT WAS REMOVED PRIOR TO FLT. PRODUCT WAS 'ZOLATONE.' ON LEAVING OPS FOUND SEVERAL BUCKETS OF THE SAME PRODUCT ABOUT TO BE LOADED ON ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THEY WERE FLYING A B757. HE STATED THE AIRLINE PERSONNEL DO NOT GET TO SEE THE AIR FREIGHT IN MANY STATIONS UNTIL IT GETS OUT TO THE RAMP TO BE LOADED ON THE AIRPLANE. THE FREIGHT RECEIVERS ARE CONTRACTED OUT. HE STATED THE DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION HAZMAT REGS ARE COMPLICATED; CONFUSING; AND FULL OF EXCEPTIONS. THIS PARTICULAR SHIPMENT CONSISTED OF 8 BUCKETS WEIGHING A TOTAL OF 332 LBS. HE NOTICED THE SAME PRODUCT BEING SHIPPED TO OTHER DESTS ON OTHER AIRPLANES. HE STATED IT WAS A PAINT PRODUCT. AS AN ASIDE HE STATED A MANUFACTURER OR A TV STATION UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO SHIP AN OXYGEN GENERATOR ON ONE OF THEIR ACFT OUT OF ROC; NY.