New Regulations Concerning the Transport of Specimens by Road and by Rail.
July 2005 and
January 2007
RID - 1 January 2007 edition (PDF 381 Kb)
ADR - 1 January 2007 edition (PDF 905 Kb)
From July 2005, the UK Government has adopted the provisions contained in ADR 2005
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr_e.html
The packaging requirements as at 2005, are detailed in http://www.hse.gov.uk/biosafety/biologagents.pdf
in appendix 1.2 (Transport of infectious substances) as Packing Instruction P650 on page 58.
Infectious substances are divided into the following categories:
Category A: an infectious substance which is transported in a form that, when exposure to it occurs, is capable of causing permanent disability, lifethreatening or fatal disease to humans or animals. See Table A2 for indicative list. This includes all agents classified as HG4 in the Approved List of biological agents,24 many HG3 agents and two HG2 agents (Clostridium botulinum and poliovirus). Those that can cause disease in humans or animals are assigned to UN 2814. Those that affect animals only are assigned to UN 2900 (additional requirements are in place for animal pathogens in the UK – see the DEFRA website72 for further details). Exposure occurs when an infectious substance is released outside of the protective packaging, resulting in physical contact with humans or animals.
Category B: any infectious substance that does not meet the criteria for inclusion in Category A. These are assigned to UN 3373, with the exception of cultures, which are assigned UN 2814 or 2900 as appropriate.
Samples of materials such as blood, tissue, excreta, secreta etc collected from humans or animals are considered, as a minimum, Category B infectious substances. For example, samples from otherwise healthy individuals or where there is no reason to suspect that they are suffering from a severe infectious disease. However, if there is evidence to suggest otherwise, eg on the basis of known medical history, local endemic conditions or professional judgement concerning the circumstances of the source material, then such material should be assigned to Category A.
PACKAGING INSTRUCTION P650
This packing instruction applies to all substances that are assigned to UN 3373.
UN number 3373 is subject to special provisions 319 and in limited quantities under LQ0
Special Provision 319:
This entry applies to human or animal material including, but not limited to, excreta, secreta, blood and its components, tissue and tissue fluids, and body parts being carried for purposes such as research, diagnosis, investigational activities, disease treatment or prevention. Substances packed and packages which are marked in accordance with packing instruction P650 are not subject to any other requirements of ADR. These are all classified under UN No. 3373.
Limited quantities - LQ0:
Contains an alphanumeric code with the following meaning:
"LQ0" signifies that no exemption from the provisions of ADR exists for the dangerous goods packed in limited quantities.
Please note
You should refer to the current text of ADR to be sure that you have classified your goods correctly, have taken account of any special provisions and have packaged the goods in accordance with the relevant packing instructions.
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr2005/05ContentsE.html
The current version of the ADR was published in January 2005
The next version is due in January 2007
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/pubdet.htm
also:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cdg.pdf
www.hpa.org.uk/cfi/dgi/FSML_user_manual_Sep06.pdf
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS
Sub-Committee of
Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods
Post September
11th 2001
Meeting, Geneva, 3rd-12th December 2001
link to document c320inf41.pdf (UN/SCETDG/20/INF.41), 181Kb
http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc/c3inf/c320/c320inf41.pdf
http://www.unece.org/trans/main/dgdb/dgsubc/
Dangerous Goods Homepage:
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.htm
Programme of Joint Action on Transport and the Environment.
For Current U.K. Postal Regulations
http://www.iata.org/cargo/dg/
