No — the Transportation of Dangerous Goods regime does not cover the act of specimen collection inside a clinic. It starts when the specimen leaves the building: anyone moving a Category B infectious substance on a public road is performing a regulated transport. What clinics must do is pack, mark and document that shipment, then confirm the current TDG text and their carrier's rules.
Quick facts
- TDG is federal; the trigger is transport, not the collection procedure.
- Routine diagnostic specimens are Category B and carry the UN3373 mark.
- Triple packaging: leakproof primary, absorbent, leakproof secondary, rigid outer box.
- The outer package carries the UN3373 marking and the shipper's details.
- Limited-quantity exemptions exist, so read the current TDG text.
in canada, does TDG cover specimen collection
Collection itself is a clinical and infection-control question: consent, technique, container choice, labelling for the laboratory. The transport rules attach to the package once it moves off your property, so a courier refusing a box is a packaging problem, not a collection problem.
Provincial ministries and colleges may add expectations for handling specimens on site, and those sit alongside the federal rules. Our learning hub covers the on-site side.
Transportation of Dangerous Goods: what the regime actually covers
TDG is Canada's federal framework for moving dangerous goods by road, rail, air and water, and infectious substances sit in Class 6.2. Category B covers substances not in a form capable of causing widespread disease, which is where routine diagnostic specimens land, marked UN3373. Category A is the stricter tier for cultures.
Transport Canada publishes and amends the regulations, so the current edition matters more than a printed summary.
UN3373 Category B: the four layers that matter
Triple packaging is easier to build than to describe: leakproof primary, absorbent material, leakproof secondary, rigid outer package, in that order.
| Layer | What it is in practice | Check before pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Primary receptacle | Tube or cup holding the specimen | Leakproof, closed, unable to shift |
| Absorbent material | Pad or wrap beside the primary | Capacity for the full volume |
| Secondary packaging | Leakproof bag around the primary | Sealed, absorbent inside it |
| Outer packaging | Rigid box or mailer with marking | Rigid, marked UN3373, closes securely |
A three-wall bag with a document pouch and an absorbent pad combines the secondary and absorbent layers and shortens the bench step. CliniEco's 3-Wall Medical Specimen Transport Bags, 6x9, 100-Pack is built that way; the UN3373 Specimen Transport Bag, 6x9, 100-Pack version suits courier and air legs.
Labelling, paperwork and your carrier's rules
What goes on the outside
The outer package needs the UN3373 marking, the proper shipping name and the shipper's name, address and telephone number, plus the consignee detail your carrier asks for.
What stays with the shipper
Keep a record of what left, when, who packed it and who took custody; several carriers require their own service form. Ask what packaging they accept for a Category B specimen, and remember that training obligations scale with the quantities you ship.
When a limited-quantity exemption applies
The regulations include exemptions that turn on stated quantities, modes and configurations, so a clinic sending a handful of tubes may qualify for lighter requirements than a laboratory sending a case.
Do not assume you qualify because a summary called small shipments manageable. Read the current TDG text, note the threshold for your shipment, and keep the evidence that the package met it. Clinics that also run sterilizer monitoring keep a CliniEco 24h Biological Indicator — 5-Pack Trial on the shelf after a repair.
Ordering for a clinic, lab or care home? Wholesale and multi-site ordering covers case pricing and account setup, and the B2B wholesale collection lists the lines stocked for institutional buyers.
Related reading
These pieces pick up where packaging ends.
- Specimen Transport Compliance: TDG Rules for Canadian Clinics
- Biohazard Bags in Canada: Colour Codes and Disposal
- Provincial Medical Waste Practices Compared: Ontario vs. BC vs. Alberta
- compliance log generator
Frequently Asked Questions
Does TDG apply to a blood tube drawn in an exam room?
Not to the draw itself. The rules attach once the tube is offered for transport off the site.
What does UN3373 cover?
It labels Category B biological substances, which covers human and animal diagnostic specimens moved for testing or treatment.
Do staff need a training certificate to ship a specimen?
It depends on the quantity, the mode of transport and what your carrier will accept. Check the current TDG text.
Is a zip bag enough on its own?
Rarely. You need a leakproof primary, absorbent material, a leakproof secondary and a rigid outer layer marked UN3373.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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