General Provisions

In general, pressure receptacles and their closures must be designed, manufactured, tested, and equipped in a way that ensures they will be able to withstand all conditions, to which they will be subjected during transit. It is important that any materials comprising the receptacle or its closures are not affected or weakened by contact with the dangerous goods that will be transported. Any fittings, including valves and piping, that will be subjected to pressure must be constructed so that their burst pressure is 1.5 times that of the pressure receptacle, and any pressure receptacle that cannot be handled manually or rolled must be fitted in a way that permits them to be handled safely. New pressure receptacles must be subjected to an initial inspection and testing, as detailed under 6.2.1.5. Pressure receptacles that are already in use must be periodically inspected and tested.

Provisions for specific types of pressure receptacles are provided as follows:

• Section 6.2.2, for UN pressure receptacles
• Section 6.2.3, for non- UN pressure receptacles
• Section 6.2.4, for aerosol dispensers, small receptacles containing gas (for example, gas cartridges), and fuel cell cartridges containing liquefied gas

To learn more about IMDG visit our International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code Online Training web page.