New Test Protocol for Hazardous Materials Transportation

TP 14850

Micom Laboratories are happy to inform you that the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has recently withdrawn its CAN/CGSB-43.150-97 standard which has been replaced by Transport Canada’s TP14850 new standard last July (2014).  This new standard is based on the chemical composition and intended use of your product, one or more of the following tests will be performed to acquire a UN box testing certification to TP14850: drop Test  per ASTM D5276,  compression resistance per ASTM D4577, Internal pressure per ASTM D3078,  leak test and Water resistance per TAPPI T441 (Cobb test).

Even though TP 14850 has been formally adopted last July and replaced CAN/CGSB 43.150, this new specification has been in the background for some time already.  Technically, it has the same requirements and tests as the CGSB standard with the exception that the chemical compatibility requirement has been removed. The document is to be looked at as a better version of the former standard; it gives more details for identifying the proper code for your packages and the test protocol is more detailed.

In the US Hazmat packages need to be re-tested annually.  This is not the case in Canada where as long as your package does not change; you don’t have to re-test it.  In Canada re-testing is mandatory only when there is a change in the packaging.

Even though nobody requires it, if you ship your “dangerous goods” through the small parcel delivery system, we recommend that you also consider testing or at least designing your package so that it meets the requirements of ISTA 3A.  This standard is a good way to validate your package for the small parcel delivery system and includes many aspects of this distribution pipeline that are not addressed in TP 14850.  This is not mandatory, but it could save you a lot of troubles.

Micom is a third party material testing laboratory accredited by A2LA, CGSB and ISTA.

For more information about these new services and our package testing services, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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