What is IATA Conformity?
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Often samples need to be transported and easiest and quickest way to achieve this is by air. To ensure worry-free collaboration with your partners across the globe, you will need to consider your responsibilities of ensuring the safety of the sample, the environment and those involved in transporting it.
What is IATA Conformity?
IATA (The International Air Transport Association) [i] classifies dangerous goods as ‘items that may endanger the safety of an aircraft or persons on board the aircraft’ (www.iata.org). These items include hazardous materials meaning that if you need to transport certain samples by air you will need to consider the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. For example, the IACR Biobank Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) refers to IACR researchers handling category B materials which would need to follow the IATA regulations if sent to collaborators world-wide. [ii]
IATA conformity can also be a good guide to the quality and robustness of the sealing process between the cap and the tube.
What Constitutes IATA Conformity in a Tube?
For transportation by aircraft, the product must comply with the following requirements:
- Meet pressure requirements to prevent leakage that may be caused by changes in altitude and temperature.
- Pass hydrostatic a test of a 95 kPa pressure difference without leakage.
What else Needs to be Considered?
- Having a tube that conforms to the IATA regulations is not the end or your responsibilities.
- Consideration must also be given to the outer carton, the use of materials that could soak-up any unexpected leaks and also the labelling used.
References
- i IATA (The International Air Transport Association)
- ii The IACR Biobank Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
