Canada introduces a new safety standard for ton containers used for the transportation of hazardous materials

The Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has issued a draft safety standard on ton containers for the transport of dangerous goods, with the consultation open until 24 October.

A ton container is a large cylindrical drum made of steel that is used for the transport of hazardous materials.

The draft, which was released on 24 August 2022, provides specifications for anyone designing, maintaining, qualifying, inspecting, marking, choosing, and using ton containers. It also explains how manufacturing facilities must establish quality control systems to guarantee that containers comply with laws and regulatory requirements for facilities involved in their use.

The new regulation will replace the present Transport Canada regulation, TP 14877, which governs the transportation of dangerous products in big containers. Additionally, the pertinent sections of TP 14877 will be replaced by a new standard on tank cars for such rail transportation.

The main proposed changes include: 

• updating the list of documents applicable to the use of ton containers 
• updating definitions in the previous standard such as 'fusible plug' and 'modification' 
• updating the country’s dangerous goods list to make it consistent with the Canadian Transport of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations and the relevant Code of Federal Regulations of the United States (49 CFR) 
• incorporating requirements for quality management systems for manufacturers of ton containers
• removing requirements related to tank cars

The new safety standard will come into force when it is incorporated into the Canadian TDG regulations via a later regulatory amendment.

If you have further queries regarding Canadian Regulations, please contact GPC via compliance@gpcregulatory.com. For more information regarding our services kindly visit our site https://www.gpcgateway.com.