MANUFACTURERS’ GUIDE TO UN PACKAGING

As of May 1998

[Foreword]  [Background]  [Using the Standard]  
[Quality Assurance]  [Sources]

Foreword      

Beginning January 1, 1991, all dangerous goods in international marine and international or domestic air transport were required to be in packagings displaying the 'UN' marking. The mark indicates that the packaging design has been tested in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods'.

The UN Committee of Experts has established a uniform international system for identifying and packaging dangerous goods for transport. The UN Recommendations on package testing have been adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Transport Canada has adopted ICAO’s "Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air" and IMO’s "International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code", by reference, in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations.

National Standard of Canada CAN/CGSB-43.150-97 "Performance Packagings for Transportation of Dangerous Goods" contains the requirements for the design, manufacture, marking and use of UN packaging. The TDG Regulations require all 'UN' marked packagings that are manufactured in Canada to conform to this standard.

This guide has been prepared as an aid to manufacturers of UN marked packaging.

The United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transportation of Dangerous Goods has established a uniform, international system for identifying and packaging dangerous goods for transport. With respect to packaging, the Committee has assigned all dangerous goods to one of three Packing Groups: Packing Group I (high danger), II (medium danger) and III (low danger). The list of dangerous goods and the Packing Group for each can be found in the ICAO Technical Instructions, the IMDG Code or the TDG Regulations.

The design requirements consist of a number of performance oriented tests related to packaging integrity such as a drop test, stacking test, and hydrostatic pressure test for packaging in liquid service. The severity of the tests varies according to the Packing Group. The purpose of the tests is to prove a design to the Packing Group level of container performance. The objective is a design that, when filled and closed for shipment, will consistently perform at that level. The tests were not intended to represent all transport conditions. They are a supplement to an overall design process that must take into account the particular application of the packaging. Packagings are tested in the "as for shipment" condition. Fibreboard boxes, for example, are tested with the inner packagings that are intended to be used in transport.

The requirements for the design, manufacture and marking of UN packagings are contained in Part I of National Standard of Canada CAN/CGSB-43.150-97 "Performance Packagings for Transportation of Dangerous Goods". Copies may be ordered by calling CGSB 1-800-665-2472 (Canada only) or (819) 956-0425. The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations require that UN packagings manufactured in Canada conform to this standard.

There are five steps, essentially in the design and manufacture of UN packaging, using this Standard:

The TDG Directorate of Transport Canada will register the design and assign a Design Registration Number. Add the Registration Number to the marking for the packaging. All UN packagings manufactured in Canada must display the Design Registration Number in the marking.

Section 10 of CAN/CGSB-43.150-97 requires a quality system conforming to ISO 9002 for the manufacture of steel and plastic drums, jerricans and composites. The required quality system for all other packaging types is ISO 9003.

The standard requires every manufacturer of steel or plastic drums, jerricans and composites (ISO 9002) to register their QA program with an independent QA auditing organization accredited by the Standards Council of Canada. There is no QA registration requirement for companies manufacturing other packaging types.

Sources