When closing an Open or Closed Head drum for shipment, it’s critical to follow the manufacturer’s specific Closure Instruction for the drum especially noting the importance of the gasket. For a Closed Head drum, there are gaskets located in between the closing plugs and their flanges. For Open Head drums, there is a gasket located in the removable cover. In the case of the Closed Head drums, the shipper must ensure that the gaskets are properly seated around the plugs. For the Open Heads, fillers are instructed to insure that the cover gasket is properly fitted into the cover groove. While most new drums are shipped with the gasket in place, it is still important that fillers recognize that UN tested drums are fitted with fresh gaskets and therefore, the fresher the gasket when filling, the better the closure. While most gaskets are made from rubber derivatives, gasket properties can change with use, time, temperature and age. Given these potential property changes, gaskets are expected to perform in compliance with the UN marked rating of the drum. When filling, if there is doubt about the gasket integrity, call the original manufacturer and purchase replacement gaskets. It’s worth a few dollars to insure a secure closure.
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