Transportation of Category A infectious substances assigned to UN 2814 or 2900:

Summary of Key Requirements

Classification

Proceed only after confirming material falls under the following descriptions:

It is an infectious substance which is carried in a form that, when exposure to it occurs, is capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals. An indicative list of infectious substances that meet these criteria is provided in Appendix 1.
Other infectious substances, including new or emerging pathogens, which do not appear in the table but which meet the same criteria must be assigned to Category A and if there is doubt as to whether or not a substance meets the criteria it is also to be included in Category A.
Examples include:
- cultures or isolates of any of the particular micro-organism on the indicative list in Appendix 1 (or for new or emerging pathogens if they meet the Category A criteria);
- materials from human or animals that are known, likely or suspected of containing any of the particular micro-organism on the indicative list in Appendix 1 (or for new or emerging pathogens if they meet the Category A criteria) - based on the known medical history and symptoms of the source human or animal, endemic local conditions, or professional judgement concerning individual circumstances of the source human or animal;
- GMMs which meet the definition of a category A infectious substance above and it has no other hazardous properties (toxic, radioactive etc)

For air transport - also check state and operator variations since some states (countries) and operators (airlines) place additional restrictions or constraints
on certain shipments.

Packing

Category A infectious substances assigned to either UN 2814 or UN 2900 must be packed in accordance with

for road transport - ADR Packing Instruction 620 (MS Word , 14kb)
for air transport - IATA Packing Instruction 620 (MS Word , 14kb)

Packing procedures that meet the packing requirements of both the above Packing Instructions are detailed below.

Packaging for Category A infectious substances must meet UN performance requirements for Class 6.2 substances as shown by design type testing. These are known as UN type approved packaging and they are certified and marked accordingly. Packaging used for Category A infectious substances must be specifically approved for Class 6.2 goods.

For transport by road there are no limits on the quantity of materials contained within either the primary receptacle(s) or the total package. This is in contrast to transport by air where (other than for body parts, organs or whole bodies):

on passenger aircraft there is a 50ml/50g limit per package, and
on cargo aircraft there is a 4L/4Kg limit per package.

In both the above cases there is no limit per primary receptacle.

Labelling

The package must be appropriately labelled and should ideally show emergency contact details that can be used in the event of a query. Label as follows:

Packages should be clearly labelled with the delivery address and senders details with emergency contact details including a named person, at both where the package is being sent from and where it is going to, and a telephone number.
Mark with the appropriate UN number and proper shipping name:

either
UN 2814 INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, AFFECTING HUMANS
or
UN 2900 INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, AFFECTING ANIMALS only

and add the word liquid or solid as appropriate in lower case and in parentheses at the end of the proper shipping name. Nearby, affixed to the same surface, add the hazard warning label for Class 6.2 - Infectious substances as shown below. This must be set at an angle of 45° (diamond shaped), at least 10 cm by 10 cm in size, have black text etc on white background, and a line 5mm inside the edge running parallel to it.

The lower half of the label may, but is not required to, bear the inscriptions "INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE" and "In the case of damage or leakage immediately notify Public Health Authority".

It is no longer necessary to show the technical name, that is the recognised biological (scientific/technical) name of the micro-organism, on the package, but the proper shipping name should be supplemented with the technical name in the accompanying transport documentation.

Emergency contact details (name and telephone number) must be shown on outer packages containing Category A infectious substances.
Labels must be durable and legible and clearly visible on the outside of the packaging.
Any unnecessary or incorrect labels must not be shown on the outside of the box – for example a box that is pre-printed for infectious substances should not be used if it does not contain these, or if a box has been used before and shows labels that are not relevant to the particular consignment this also should not be used or the labels must be removed or covered up
For materials on dry ice:
- where the package contains dry ice and is transported by road Mark with the words: DRY ICE. The UN number and associated hazard label are not required.
- where the package contains dry ice and is transported by air Mark with the UN number and proper shipping name and the net weight of dry ice: UN 1845 DRY ICE ## Kg
  
  Nearby, affixed to the same surface, add the hazard warning label for Class 9 - Miscellaneous dangerous goods as shown below. This must be set at an angle of 45° (diamond shaped), at least 10 cm by 10 cm in size, have black text etc on white background, and a line 5mm inside the edge running parallel to it.
If a thermal 'overpack' is used, it should be marked with the word "OVERPACK"
Packages containing liquids must display "Package Orientation" labels. This must be at least 74 x 105 mm in size and show two black or red arrows on a white or suitable contrasting background. The labels must be affixed or pre-printed on at least two opposite sides to show the proper orientation for the primary(s) to be in the upright position.
Note: whilst they may be used, orientation arrows are not required on packages containing Class 6.2 infectious substances in primary receptacles of not more than 50 ml.
Packages suitable for cargo aircraft only (quantity restrictions apply on passenger aircraft): the 'Cargo Aircraft Only' label must be used if the package is permitted only on cargo aircraft. This would be where it contains more than the quantity allowed on a passenger aircraft (50 ml or 50 g for category A infectious substances).

If a package is permitted only on cargo aircraft it should be confirmed prior to despatch that the shipment can be successfully routed and completed using cargo aircraft since would not be an option for some remote places. The Cargo Aircraft Only label must be affixed on the same surface of the package as, and near, the hazard label. This must be at least 120 x 110 mm in size (or for small packages the dimensions may be halved), and is as shown below. This must be black printing on an orange background.

Paperwork/Documentation

Copies of paperwork must be included within the package and also be provided to accompany the package (for the carrier). The information required must be clearly legible and for air
transport must exactly meet the specified format.

Paperwork (ideally this should be on University headed paper) must be included within the package between the secondary and the outer (attached to the secondary), giving:

the names and addresses of both the consignor (sender) and consignee (receiver),including emergency contact details (name and telephone number) at both ends, and
a description of the goods in the following format / order:

either
UN 2814 INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, AFFECTING HUMANS
or
UN 2900 INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCE, AFFECTING ANIMALS only

In addition, for Category A infectious substances assigned to UN 2814 or UN 2900:

the proper shipping name must be supplemented with the technical name (the recognised biological/scientific/technical name of the micro-organism). When the infectious substances to be transported are unknown, but suspected of meeting the criteria for inclusion in Category A and assignment to UN 2814 or UN 2900, the words "suspected Category A infectious substance" should be used as the technical name.
an itemised list of contents must be given, to include for each named item the number of tubes and their volume.

In cases where the package will be going through customs, a statement should be added, where appropriate, that they are research materials of no commercial value.

Written emergency response procedures must also be provided with any package containing biological materials classified under UN 2814 or UN 2900.

For transport by air it is necessary to complete an Air Waybill and a Shipper's Declaration for Dangerous Goods.

The Biological Safety Adviser must be informed of any intention by University
personnel to transport (within the UK or abroad) Class 3 GMMs since advance notification must be made to the Health and Safety Executive.

Note : for goods being shipped abroad: Before sending any biological materials abroad, the person sending the goods (the consignor/shipper) should contact the person to whom they are being sent (the consignee) to let them know shipping details and to check that the substance may be legally imported. The person receiving the materials is generally regarded as the importer and the one responsible for obtaining, where necessary, all appropriate permits or licences.

Importation of materials into the United States is particularly tightly regulated and there are restrictions even on some items that may be transported as non-dangerous goods. In contrast, very few items require any sort of import permit, licence or notification to be made when importing into the UK – these are limited to certain animal pathogens or materials that may contain them, all hazard group 4 and a few hazard group 3 pathogens, and items covered by the anti-terrorism legislation. Contact the Biological Safety Adviser for advice on a case-by-case basis to check whether the item they wish to bring into the UK needs an import licence or is subject to other permissions etc.