DOT Continues Re-testing US Packagings

For nearly a decade, the Department of Transportation has been re-testing UN packagings at it‘s Test Lab in Tobyhanna, PA. The re-testing process involves taking a UN certified packaging that is manufactured by a US manufacturer and subjecting it to the Design Type test for which it is marked. Concerns by industry have surfaced, as the in-field, actual experience with these packagings, is that they are exceeding their levels of performance when in use. However, the news out of the Tobyhanna Lab is that they are experiencing a high percentage of failures. While news of this testing is not new, it was recently stated in a presentation by representatives of the DOT, that the packagings sent to Tobyhanna are primarily those which carry severe or questionable markings. DOT admitted that for the vast majority of packagings in use with hazardous materials, the packagings perform as expected when in storage or transport. The Tobyhanna Lab results identify improperly tested packagings in which manufacturers are fined for non-compliance.