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Infectious to Humans or Animals

Shipping signage for an Infectious Substance

Definitions

A material known or reasonably expected to contain a pathogen. A pathogen is a microorganism (including bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, parasites, fungi) or other agent, such as a proteinaceous infectious particle (prion), that can cause disease in humans or animals.

Subsets of class 6.2 are:

  • Category A infectious substance – in a form capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure to it occurs.
  • Category B infectious substance – is not in a form capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure to it occurs.
NOTE: Live animals may not be used to transport infectious substances unless such substances cannot be sent by any other means. Animals containing infectious substances must be transported under approval of the Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety. Contact EHS for assistance.

Training

All shipments of infectious substances are regulated and require the shipper to be DOT trained.

NOTE: Shipments containing dry ice or a preservative may require additional DOT training.

Shipping Options

  • Become Trained – All shipments of Class 6.2 material require the shipper to be trained and certified, EHS certifies all shippers at Cornell. All training whether on site or by an outside vendor must have a certificate of training by EHS.
  • Shipping Station - The Shipping and Receiving Department at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center functions as a shipping station for class 6.2 materials (phone: 607-253-3935)
  • Contact EHS - EHS has employee’s trained in the shipping of hazardous material and can ship your material for you.  (Bill Leonard or EHS 607-255-8200)

Packaging

The requirements for packaging class 6.2 materials are very specific - the following are examples of containers and the applicable packaging instructions.

Example of Category A package (IATA packing instructions 620).

Example of packing instruction 620 triple package. Watertight primary and secondary containers capable of  withstanding internal pressure of 95 kPa,  absorbent, itemized list of contents, rigid outer packaging with UN certification.

Packaging, marking, and labeling of Catagory A Infectious Substances
 

Example of Category B package (IATA packing instructions 650)

Example of packing instruction 650 triple package. Watertight, sift proof primary and  secondary containers capable of  withstanding internal pressure of 95 kPa, absorbent, itemized list of contents, rigid outer packaging capable of passing 1.2 m drop test.
 

Example of packing and marking for Catagory B Infectious Substances

Guidelines

External LinkBiosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL)