UN PG I (Hazmat & Battery)
- Certificate
- D/BAM 8311/4B1, revision 13
- Issued by
- BAM, Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin
- Case
- ZARGES K470 aluminum box (UN code 4B)
- Packing groups
- I, II and III, solids and liquids in inner packagings
- Transport
- Road (ADR), rail (RID), sea (IMDG), air (ICAO / IATA DGR)
- Issued
- January 12, 2018 — no expiry date
What Packing Group I means
The United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods sort hazardous materials into three packing groups by how dangerous they are: Packing Group I is great danger, II is medium and III is minor. Packaging approved for Group I has passed the toughest version of the tests, including a 1.8 m (about 6 ft) drop and a stacking test, so it is also approved for Groups II and III.
The approval covers the K470 as a combination packaging: hazardous solids or liquids in inner packagings (plastic or polyamide bags, or glass bottles in intermediate packaging), or dangerous articles, inside the aluminum case. Shipping lithium batteries as dangerous goods is one of the most common uses.
The BAM approval
BAM — the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung — is the German authority that approves dangerous goods packaging. Its certificate D/BAM 8311/4B1 approves the K470 design type for road, rail, inland waterway, sea and air, and states that it meets ADR, RID, the IMDG Code, the UN Recommendations and the ICAO Technical Instructions (the basis of IATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations).
The approval lists the K470 sizes tested and sets a maximum gross mass for each size group, from 26 kg up to 100 kg (about 57 to 220 lb). The current revision, number 13, was issued in Berlin on January 12, 2018, and carries no expiry date.
How to tell a case is UN certified
A ZARGES case is only UN certified when it carries the UN marking. The label reads 4B/X, then the tested gross mass in kg, S for solids, the last two digits of the year of manufacture, D for Germany, and BAM 8311-ZARGES. X means Packing Group I (Y would mean Groups II and III only).
The approval also puts duties on the shipper: the contents, inner packagings, fill and gross mass must stay within what the certificate allows, and air shipments of liquids or solids have their own extra conditions. The packing group rating is about containment in transport; it is not a fire-containment rating.
BAM Certificate of Approval D/BAM 8311/4B1 — K470
Issued by Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Berlin.
Ten pages, PDF, German and English. The German text is legally binding.
FAQ
Is the ZARGES K470 UN certified for hazardous materials?
Yes. The K470 aluminum box is approved as UN 4B dangerous goods packaging under BAM certificate D/BAM 8311/4B1, for Packing Groups I, II and III.
What does UN Packing Group I mean?
Packing Group I is the highest level of danger in the UN system for dangerous goods. Packaging approved for Group I has passed the most severe drop and stacking tests and may also be used for Groups II and III.
Can ZARGES cases ship lithium batteries?
The K470 is approved packaging for dangerous goods, which includes lithium batteries shipped as hazardous materials. The shipper remains responsible for following the transport rules for the specific batteries.
Is the UN approval valid for air freight?
Yes. The certificate covers air transport under the ICAO Technical Instructions and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, with extra conditions for liquids and for plastic inner bags.
How do I know my case is UN certified?
Look for the UN marking on the case: 4B/X, the gross mass, S, the year, D and BAM 8311-ZARGES. A case without that label is not UN certified.
