Understanding Shipment Packaging Rules Regarding Lab Samples

May 1
18:58

2020

Nancy Whitman

Nancy Whitman

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This is some interesting information. We all might think that when it comes to laboratory samples, that it is making use of special shipments. Especially when it is shipped internationally. However, as freight forwarding company will tell you, this isn’t the case. It is getting shipped normally. The important thing is the regulations of the packaging. No international shipping of laboratory specimen can be shipped if the regulations for the packaging isn’t followed correctly. There are many rules and regulations for packaging and shipping lab samples, but these are just some of the interesting information.

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Do lab samples get shipped normally?

You might think that if a lab sample really needs to get shipped,Understanding Shipment Packaging Rules Regarding Lab Samples Articles it is making use of a special shipment. That you can’t make use of normal international shipments to get the shipment done.

They are making use of the same shipments that we do, but they have rules and regulations that are important to follow. Rules and regulations that need to be followed to the last line. If something happens to that sample, there can be serious consequences for the person who has packaged it.

The package needs to be classified correctly

This is the first thing about a laboratory sample shipment. It needs to be classified correctly. Different classifications need to be on the package. Category A is for an infectious sample that poses a danger and that is life-threatening to humans and animals.

Category B is also for corrupted samples, but that doesn’t cause death or life-threatening problems to humans and animals. It is important to classify the package correctly, otherwise, people will not know how dangerous the package might be.

Personnel must be suitably trained

By law, the person that is making up the package, or that is packing the package needs to be trained accordingly. Not just anyone can go and pack the laboratory sample for international shipment. There are too many rules and regulations that need to be followed.

There is also a rule that states that more than one person needs to check if the packaging is correct. To ensure that everyone is following the rules and regulations for packaging the sample correctly. For Category A there needs to be a different type of training provided as for category B.

General package requirements

With the package, there are some requirements that need to be done, in order to be able to ship it internationally. Category A needs to be packaged differently and a lot more safely than with category B. There are a couple of things that need to be considered when the package is getting prepared.

The specimen needs to be packed in a watertight package. Category A needs to have another watertight package over the package that contains the sample. Category B needs to have a waterproof package inside the watertight package.

Different samples must be labelled differently

It is important to make sure that the different specimen is getting labeled differently. This is so that the transport company can see what is inside the package, the category and what the package actually contains. The package isn’t accepted for transport if it isn’t labeled correctly.

We don’t always think about the different things that need to be transported and shipped internationally. One of these things is a lab sample. Especially the dangerous and contagious ones. However, this isn’t just something that is getting shipped normally. There are rules and regulations that need to be followed for the sample to be shipped correctly. It needs to be labeled correctly and needs to be packed by someone with the right training to ensure that the package is safe and secure.

When shipping a lab sample to foreign waters, stringent packaging guidelines must be observed. Contact a freight forwarding service provider to ensure that your shipment is packaged correctly and arrives at its destination without issue.

For more than a 100 years, BCR Australia has continued to help small, medium and large businesses achieve an optimum logistics solution with third party logistics warehousing and transportation, including air freight and sea freight services to and from the major ports including BrisbaneSydneyMelbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle (Perth).