Title: WHO Guidance on Regulations for the Transport of Infectious Substances

Summary of Provisions:

The WHO Guidance on Regulations for the Transport of Infectious Substances aims to minimise the risk of disease spread from accidental release of infectious substances during transport. It provides a synthesis of requirements from modal regulations on the transport of dangerous goods (e.g. the Regulations Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail), which in turn are based on the UN Model Regulations for the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

Infectious substances are defined as "substances which are known or reasonably expected to contain pathogens. The Guidance divides infectious substances into two categories:

Category A - "An infectious substance which is transported in a form that, when exposure to it occurs, is capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals" (p.3)
Category B - "An infectious substance which does not meet the criteria for inclusion in Category A." (p.3)

Guidelines on packaging for transport vary for Category A and B substances and there are also some variations relating to the different transport modes (air, sea, rail and road). However, for all substances the 'basic triple packaging system' must be used. This includes:

• a primary, watertight and leakproof receptacle surrounded by sufficient absorbent material to absorb any spills caused by breakage;
• a secondary, watertight and leakproof packaging, again containing sufficient absorbent material to absorb any spills; and
• an outer packaging that protects the secondary packaging from physical damage.

Detailed guidance is provided on marking and hazard labelling requirements, and on the documentation that must accompany the dangerous goods during transport. An important aim of the Guidance is to encourage good working relationships between the three parties of sender, carrier and receiver, and it assigns specific responsibilities to each.

Summary of Development

The Guidance is part of the World Health Organisation's Biosafety Programme, which aims to "reduce to the extent possible the spread of disease caused by accidents or inappropriate handling or usage of pathogenic organisms" (http://www.who.int/csr/labepidemiology/projects/biosafety/en/).

It replaced previous guidance from the WHO - the 1997 Biosafety Guidelines for the Safe Transport of Infectious Substances and Diagnostic Specimens, and has been designed to reflect changes made to the UN Model Regulations in their 14th Edition (2005).

WHO Guidance on Regulations for the Transport of Infectious Substances

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Related Summaries on the Genomics Gateway Site:

World Health Organisation

Laboratory Biosafety Manual

Laboratory Biosecurity Guidance

Page last updated 28th March 2007.

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