Transport of biohazardous goods off Stanford University requires training and certification prior to shipping. Federal (FAA, 49 CFR) and international agencies (ICAO, the branch of the United Nations that governs all international civil aviation matters, IATA, the International Air Transport Association) have in place numerous regulations for shipping of dangerous goods by surface or air. Training is mandatory for shippers (the person sending out the package) and handlers (the people who transport the package) and is based on these regulations. Non- conformance of these regulations can result in a fine and/or imprisonment. Stanford personnel located at Stanford facilities can take training by completing the Biological Shipping Training Course-EHS-2700, DOT: Shipping Biological Goods or Dry Ice, available through the STARS system via https://axess.sahr.stanford.edu/group/guest/stars-training.

There are two categories of infectious agent classification that relates to packaging and shipping (Figures 1 & 2):

Category A
Capable of causing permanent disability or life threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure to it occurs.

Category B
An infectious substance not in a form generally capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure to it occurs. This includes Category B infectious substances transported for diagnostic or investigational purposes.

Note that training certification is only valid for two years or until regulatory changes are implemented and must be re-taken at that time if needed.

Please utilize the Dean of Research Export Controls Decision Tree (https://stanford.io/2opYe0y) to determine next steps and needed certifications for your shipment.

Figure 1. Category A packaging (from the CDC, http://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/hcp/packaging-diagram.html)
Figure 2. Packing and shipping Category B clinical specimens; https://www.cdc.gov/smallpox/lab-personnel/specimen-collection/pack-transport.html

What is a Dangerous (Biohazardous) Good?

According to the regulations, Dangerous Goods “are articles or substances which are capable of posing a significant risk to health, safety or to property when transported”. For biological material, the flow chart in Figure 3 indicates which materials are regulated and which are not.

Important Information

Dry Ice is considered a Dangerous Good

Training and certification is required, and the package must be labeled and shipped.