Ten questions come up again and again when a Canadian laboratory reviews its specimen transport packaging. They cluster around four themes: what the 95 kPa figure means, how a bag should be built, how a shipment should be labelled, and how much stock to keep. Each answer below is written to be dropped into a bench standard operating procedure, with the packaging requirement tied to the UN3373 transport rules rather than to a general impression of what feels sturdy.
What do laboratories ask first about specimen transport packaging?
What does 95 kPa mean?
It is a pressure differential, not a weight and not a thickness. It is the packaging performance required for Category B infectious substances under the UN3373 transport rules, expressed through IATA Packing Instruction 650 for air movement.
Does every specimen need 95 kPa packaging?
A specimen that is being shipped as a Category B infectious substance needs packaging that meets the differential. A specimen handled entirely inside one building does not travel, so the transport rule does not bite; the bench rule and the receiving laboratory's intake standard still apply.
What sizes do the bags come in?
The common footprints are 6 by 9, 7 by 11, 8 by 10 and 12 by 15 inches, each supplied as a 100-pack.
What do laboratories ask about bag construction?
What is a three-wall bag for?
A three-wall bag adds an absorbent layer and a separate documentation pocket, so a leak is contained and the requisition stays off the specimen.
Where does the requisition go?
In the documentation pocket, never loose inside the bag with the specimen. A wet requisition that has touched the specimen cannot be read.
What are the size options for a bench?
Match the footprint to the primary container, not to the number of containers in the run.
| Bag size | What it holds | Bench note |
|---|---|---|
| 6 x 9 in | Small primary containers | Short routes and low volume |
| 7 x 11 in | Tall containers and tube racks | Keeps tubes upright |
| 8 x 10 in | General mid-size specimens | Everyday bench stock |
| 12 x 15 in | Several specimens per shipment | Grouped sends |
What do laboratories ask about labelling and records?
What has to be on the outer packaging?
The outer packaging carries the UN3373 marking for Category B substances, the orientation label, and the sender and receiver details the transport rules require. The requisition goes in the pocket, not on the outside of the bag.
How long are the records kept?
Follow the laboratory's own document control policy and the receiving site's intake requirements. The practical rule is that the record should let a reviewer reconstruct which bag carried which specimen on which day.
What do laboratories ask about stock and reordering?
How much should a bench keep on hand?
Size the stock from the daily count. Ten bags a working day across 240 days is about 2,400 bags, or twenty-four 100-packs, split across the sizes the bench uses.
How do I compare two suppliers?
Compare the rated pressure performance and the wall format first, then the pack size. A bag that prints the same dimensions but does not carry the 95 kPa rating is not the same item.
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
diagnostic laboratories hub; sterilization consumable lead times in Canada; the Canadian sterilization supply line in SKUs; 8 by 10 inch 95 kPa specimen bags; graduated leak-proof 90 mL specimen cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 95 kPa mean on transport packaging?
It is a pressure differential required for Category B infectious substances under the UN3373 transport rules, expressed through IATA Packing Instruction 650.
Do all specimens need 95 kPa packaging?
Specimens shipped as a Category B infectious substance do; a specimen handled entirely inside one building does not travel, so the transport rule does not bite.
What sizes of specimen bags are available?
The common footprints are 6 by 9, 7 by 11, 8 by 10 and 12 by 15 inches, each supplied as a 100-pack.
How much specimen packaging should a bench keep?
Ten bags a working day across 240 days is about 2,400 bags, or twenty-four 100-packs, split across the sizes the bench uses.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).
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