Example of marking

Test requirements for packagings

Performance and frequency of tests

The design type of each packaging shall be tested as provided in this section in accordance with
procedures established by the competent authority allowing the allocation of the mark and shall be
approved by this competent authority.

Each packaging design type shall successfully pass the tests prescribed in this Chapter before being
used. A packaging design type is defined by the design, size, material and thickness, manner of
construction and packing, but may include various surface treatments. It also includes packagings
which differ from the design type only in their lesser design height.

Tests shall be repeated on production samples at intervals established by the competent authority.
 
1 Distinguishing sign of the State of registration used on motor vehicles and trailers in international road traffic,
e.g. in accordance with the Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949 or the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic of
1968.

Tests shall also be repeated after each modification which alters the design, material or manner of
construction of a packaging.

The competent authority may permit the selective testing of packagings that differ only in minor
respects from a tested type, e.g. smaller sizes or lower net mass of primary receptacles; and
packagings such as drums and boxes which are produced with small reductions in external
dimension(s).

 
Primary receptacles of any type may be assembled within a secondary packaging and carried  without
testing in the rigid outer packaging under the following conditions:
 
(a) The rigid outer packaging shall have been successfully tested in accordance with 6.3.5.2.2 with 
fragile (e.g. glass) primary receptacles;
 
(b)    The total combined gross mass of primary receptacles shall not exceed one half the gross 
mass  of primary receptacles used for the drop test in (a) above;
 
(c)    The thickness of cushioning between primary receptacles and between primary receptacles and 
the outside of the secondary packaging shall not be reduced below the corresponding thicknesses in 
the originally tested packaging; and if a single primary receptacle was used in  the original test, 
the thickness of cushioning between primary receptacles shall not be less than the thickness of 
cushioning between the outside of the secondary packaging and the primary receptacle in the 
original test. When either fewer or smaller primary receptacles are used (as compared to the 
primary receptacles used in the drop test), sufficient additional cushioning material shall be used 
to take up the void spaces;
 
(d)   The rigid outer packaging shall have successfully passed the stacking test in 6.1.5.6 while   
empty. The total mass of identical packages shall be based on the combined mass of packagings used 
in the drop test in (a) above;
 
(e) For primary receptacles containing  liquids,  an  adequate  quantity  of  absorbent  material  
to absorb the entire liquid content of the primary receptacles shall be present;
 
(f) If the rigid outer packaging is intended to contain primary receptacles for liquids and is not 
leakproof, or is intended to contain primary receptacles 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 effective means of containment;
 
(g) In addition to the marks prescribed in 6.3.4.2 (a) to (f), packagings  shall  be  marked  in 
accordance with 6.3.4.2 (g).
 

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.

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.

Preparation of packagings for testing

Samples of each packaging shall be prepared as for carriage, except that a liquid or solid infectious
substance shall be replaced by water or, where conditioning at –18 °C is specified, by
water/antifreeze. Each primary receptacle shall be filled to not less than 98% of its capacity.
NOTE: The term water includes water/antifreeze solution with a minimum specific gravity of 0.95
for testing at – 18 °C.

Tests and number of samples required

Tests required for packaging types

Type of packaging a

Tests required

Rigid outer packaging

Primary receptacle

Water spray 6.3.5.3.6.1

Cold conditioning 6.3.5.3.6.2

Drop 6.3.5.3

Additional drop 6.3.5.3.6.3

Puncture 6.3.5.4

Stack 6.1.5.6

Plastics

Other

No. of samples

No. of samples

No. of samples

No. of samples

No. of samples

No. of samples

Fibreboard box

x

 

5

5

10

     
 

x

5

0

5

2

Fibreboard drum

x

 

3

3

6

2

 

Required on three samples when testing a "U"-marked packaging as defined in

6.3.5.1.6 for specific provisions.

 

x

3

0

3

2

Plastics box

x

 

0

5

5

2

 

x

0

5

5

2

Plastics drum/ jerrican

x

 

0

3

3

2

 

x

0

3

3

2

Boxes of other material

x

 

0

5

5

2

 

x

0

0

5

2

Drums/ jerricans of other material

x

 

0

3

3

2

 

x

0

0

3

2

 

a "Type of packaging" categorizes packagings for test purposes according to the kind of packaging and its
material characteristics.
NOTE 1: In instances where a primary receptacle is made of two or more materials, the
material most liable to damage determines the appropriate test.
NOTE 2: The material of the secondary packagings are not taken into consideration when
selecting the test or conditioning for the test.
Explanation for use of the table:
If the packaging to be tested consists of a fibreboard outer box with a plastics primary receptacle, five
samples must undergo the water spray test (see 6.3.5.3.6.1) prior to dropping and another five must be
conditioned to – 18 °C (see 6.3.5.3.6.2) prior to dropping. If the packaging is to contain dry ice then
one further single sample shall be dropped five times after conditioning in accordance with
6.3.5.3.6.3.
Packagings prepared as for carriage shall be subjected to the tests in 6.3.5.3 and 6.3.5.4. For outer
packagings, the headings in the table relate to fibreboard or similar materials whose performance may
be rapidly affected by moisture; plastics which may embrittle at low temperature; and other materials
such as metal whose performance is not affected by moisture or temperature.

Drop test

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