Dangerous Goods by Road
Articles or inner packagings of any type for solids or liquids may be assembled and carried without
testing in an outer packaging under the following conditions:
(a) The outer packaging shall have been successfully tested in accordance with 6.1.5.3 with fragile
(e.g. glass) inner packagings containing liquids using the packing group I drop height;
(b) The total combined gross mass of inner packagings shall not exceed one half the gross mass of
inner packagings used for the drop test in (a) above;
(c) The thickness of cushioning material between inner packagings and between inner packagings
and the outside of the packaging shall not be reduced below the corresponding thicknesses in
the originally tested packaging; and if a single inner packaging was used in the original test, the
thicknesses of cushioning between inner packagings shall not be less than the thickness of
cushioning between the outside of the packaging and the inner packaging in the original test. If
either fewer or smaller inner packagings are used (as compared to the inner packagings used in
the drop test), sufficient additional cushioning material shall be used to take up void spaces;
(d) The outer packaging shall have passed successfully the stacking test in 6.1.5.6 while empty.
The total mass of identical packages shall be based on the combined mass of inner packagings
used for the drop test in (a) above;
(e) Inner packagings containing liquids shall be completely surrounded with a sufficient quantity
of absorbent material to absorb the entire liquid contents of the inner packagings;
(f) If the outer packaging is intended to contain inner packagings for liquids and is not leakproof,
or is intended to contain inner packagings for solids and is not siftproof, a means of containing
any liquid or solid contents in the event of leakage shall be provided in the form of a leakproof
liner, plastics bag or other equally efficient means of containment. For packagings containing
liquids, the absorbent material required in (e) above shall be placed inside the means of
containing the liquid contents;
(g) Packagings shall be marked in accordance with 6.1.3 as having been tested to packing group I
performance for combination packagings. The marked gross mass in kilograms shall be the
sum of the mass of the outer packaging plus one half of the mass of the inner packaging(s) as
used for the drop test referred to in (a) above. Such a package mark shall also contain a letter
"V" as described in 6.1.2.4.
The competent authority may at any time require proof, by tests in accordance with this section, that
serially-produced packagings meet the requirements of the design type tests. For verification purposes
records of such tests shall be maintained.
If an inner treatment or coating is required for safety reasons, it shall retain its protective properties
even after the tests.
Provided the validity of the test results is not affected and with the approval of the competent
authority, several tests may be made on one sample.
Salvage packagings
e to packing group II packagings intended for the carriage of solids or inner packagings,
except as follows:
(a) The test substance used in performing the tests shall be water, and the packagings shall be
filled to not less than 98% of their maximum capacity. It is permissible to use additives, such
as bags of lead shot, to achieve the requisite total package mass so long as they are placed so
that the test results are not affected. Alternatively, in performing the drop test, the drop height
may be varied in accordance with 6.1.5.3.5 (b);
(b) Packagings shall, in addition, have been successfully subjected to the leakproofness test
at 30 kPa, with the results of this test reflected in the test report required by 6.1.5.8; and
(c) Packagings shall be marked with the letter "T" as described in 6.1.2.4.
Preparation of packagings for testing
Tests shall be carried out on packagings prepared as for carriage including, with respect to
combination packagings, the inner packagings used. Inner or single receptacles or packagings other
than bags shall be filled to not less than 98% of their maximum capacity for liquids or 95% for solids.
Bags shall be filled to the maximum mass at which they may be used. For combination packagings
where the inner packaging is designed to carry liquids and solids, separate testing is required for both
liquid and solid contents. The substances or articles to be carried in the packagings may be replaced
by other substances or articles except where this would invalidate the results of the tests. For solids,
when another substance is used it shall have the same physical characteristics (mass, grain size, etc.)
as the substance to be carried. It is permissible to use additives, such as bags of lead shot, to achieve
the requisite total package mass, so long as they are placed so that the test results are not affected.
In the drop tests for liquids, when another substance is used, it shall be of similar relative density and
viscosity to those of the substance being carried. Water may also be used for the liquid drop test under
the conditions in 6.1.5.3.5.
Paper or fibreboard packagings shall be conditioned for at least 24 hours in an atmosphere having a
controlled temperature and relative humidity (r.h.). There are three options, one of which shall be
chosen. The preferred atmosphere is 23 ± 2 °C and 50% ± 2% r.h. The two other options are 20 ± 2 °C
and 65% ± 2% r.h. or 27 ± 2 °C and 65% ± 2% r.h.
NOTE: Average values shall fall within these limits. Short-term fluctuations and measurement
limitations may cause individual measurements to vary by up to ± 5% relative humidity without
significant impairment of test reproducibility.
(Reserved)
To check that their chemical compatibility with the liquids is sufficient, plastics drums and jerricans in
accordance with 6.1.4.8 and if necessary composite packagings (plastics material) in accordance
with 6.1.4.19 shall be subjected to storage at ambient temperature for six months, during which time
the test samples shall be kept filled with the goods they are intended to carry.
For the first and last 24 hours of storage, the test samples shall be placed with the closure downwards.
However, packagings fitted with a vent shall be so placed on each occasion for five minutes only.
After this storage the test samples shall undergo the tests prescribed in 6.1.5.3 to 6.1.5.6.
When it is known that the strength properties of the plastics material of the inner receptacles of
composite packagings (plastics material) are not significantly altered by the action of the filling
substance, it shall not be necessary to check that the chemical compatibility is sufficient.
A significant alteration in strength properties means:
(a) distinct embrittlement; or
(b) a considerable decrease in elasticity, unless related to a not less than proportionate increase in
the elongation under load.
Where the behaviour of the plastics material has been established by other means, the above
compatibility test may be dispensed with. Such procedures shall be at least equivalent to the above
compatibility test and be recognized by the competent authority.
NOTE: For plastics drums and jerricans and composite packagings (plastics material) made of
polyethylene, see also 6.1.5.2.6 below.
For polyethylene drums and jerricans in accordance with 6.1.4.8 and if necessary, polyethylene
composite packagings in accordance with 6.1.4.19, chemical compatibility with filling liquids
assimilated in accordance with 4.1.1.21 may be verified as follows with standard liquids (see 6.1.6).
The standard liquids are representative for the processes of deterioration on polyethylene, as there are
softening through swelling, cracking under stress, molecular degradation and combinations thereof.
The sufficient chemical compatibility of the packagings may be verified by storage of the required test
samples for three weeks at 40 °C with the appropriate standard liquid(s); where this standard liquid is
water, storage in accordance with this procedure is not required. Storage is not required either for test
samples which are used for the stacking test in case of the standard liquids "wetting solution" and
"acetic acid".
For the first and last 24 hours of storage, the test samples shall be placed with the closure downwards.
However, packagings fitted with a vent shall be so placed on each occasion for five minutes only.
After this storage, the test samples shall undergo the tests prescribed in 6.1.5.3 to 6.1.5.6.
The compatibility test for tert-Butyl hydroperoxide with more than 40% peroxide content and
peroxyacetic acids of Class 5.2 shall not be carried out using standard liquids. For these substances,
sufficient chemical compatibility of the test samples shall be verified during a storage period of six
months at ambient temperature with the substances they are intended to carry.
Results of the procedure in accordance with this paragraph from polyethylene packagings can be
approved for an equal design type, the internal surface of which is fluorinated.
For packagings made of polyethylene, as specified in 6.1.5.2.6, which have passed the test in
6.1.5.2.6, filling substances other than those assimilated in accordance with 4.1.1.21 may also be
approved. Such approval shall be based on laboratory tests verifying that the effect of such filling
substances on the test specimens is less than that of the appropriate standard liquid(s) taking into
account the relevant processes of deterioration. The same conditions as those set out in 4.1.1.21.2 shall
apply with respect to relative density and vapour pressure.
not significantly altered by the action of the filling substance, proof of chemical compatibility is not
necessary. A significant alteration in strength properties means:
(a) Distinct embrittlement;
(b) A considerable decrease in elasticity, unless related to a not less than proportionate increase in
elastic elongation.