UN-rated chemical totes

The three numbers that decide which tote

The code. For a caged tote it is 31HA1, set by 49 CFR 178.702. It tells a carrier the tote was built and tested as a composite IBC for liquids.

The packing group letter. Most caged totes are marked Y, meaning tested for Packing Group II and III. No IBC may be filled with a Packing Group I liquid (49 CFR 173.35(j)), so if your SDS says PG I, a tote is out.

The specific gravity. The number after the Y is the heaviest product the design was tested with: Y1.9 allows fill goods up to a specific gravity of 1.9, Y1.6 up to 1.6 (Mauser). Tell us your product's specific gravity from section 9 of its SDS and we'll quote a tote rated for it.

The retest clock starts at the plant

A liquid IBC used for hazmat must pass a leakproofness test every 2.5 years from its date of manufacture or repair, with an external visual inspection on the same cycle, and composite and rigid plastic IBCs need an internal inspection at least every five years (49 CFR 180.352). A tote whose retest is due may not be filled and offered for transport until it has been done (49 CFR 173.35(a)).

A new tote carries this year's date, so you get the whole 2.5 years before the first retest. For a shipper sending totes out to customers on a long cycle, that is time when no tote in the fleet needs testing.

What the plate does and doesn’t prove

We don't call a tote "UN rated" in general. The code, letter and specific gravity marked on the tote you receive, and the maker's certificate, are what count. Our quote names them, and the tote you get matches the quote. You stay the shipper: classifying your product and choosing an authorized packaging for it under the hazmat rules is yours, and we'll help with the container side of that question.

Questions about this tote

What does 31HA1/Y mean?

A composite IBC for liquids with a plastic inner bottle and a steel outer cage (31HA1), tested for Packing Group II and III liquids (Y).

How often does a hazmat tote need retesting?

A leakproofness test and an external inspection every 2.5 years from manufacture, and an internal inspection at least every five years, under 49 CFR 180.352.

Can an IBC carry a Packing Group I liquid?

No. 49 CFR 173.35(j) says no IBC may be filled with a Packing Group I liquid.

Where do I find my product’s packing group and specific gravity?

On its safety data sheet: section 14 (transport information) gives the UN number and packing group, and section 9 (physical and chemical properties) gives the specific gravity or relative density.

Can a UN-rated tote also carry non-hazardous products?

Yes. The rating is a test the tote passed, not a limit on what it may hold. Plenty of buyers order rated totes for everything so one stock covers every product they fill.