• The DGR lays out requirements for the packaging of dangerous goods in Section 5.
• The requirements include proper methods for preventing leaks or the opening of the packaged dangerous goods during transport.

Section 5 of the International Air Transport Association Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR) is commonly called the “Yellow Pages,” since the pages in this section of the print version are yellow. The colored pages make this section easily identifiable when looking at the printed DGR from the side. The packing section contains the shipper’s responsibilities, general packaging requirements, and packing instructions.

Shipper’s responsibility

When preparing packages of dangerous goods for shipment by air, the shipper must:

• Comply with the appropriate packing requirements,
• Use only permitted packages,
• Comply with quantity restrictions,
• Assemble and secure packages intended,
• Ensure packages do not contain residue on the outside of the package, and
• Ensure the package is complete before shipping.

General packaging requirements

Unless otherwise specified, the shipper must use United Nations (UN) specification packages when shipping dangerous goods by air. Dangerous goods must be packed in good quality packages that are strong enough to withstand normal loading and transportation conditions.

The parts of the package that are in direct contact with the dangerous goods must be compatible with the dangerous goods and must not:

• Be adversely affected or significantly weakened,
• Cause a dangerous effect, and
• Allow permeation or leakage.

The body and closure of the package should be constructed so that it can resist changing temperatures and vibrations normally encountered during air transportation. The closure must also be designed so that it:

• Is unlikely to be incorrectly or incompletely closed,
• Can be easily checked to determine that it is closed, and
• Remains closed during transport.

Packages must be filled so they have sufficient ullage (free space) to ensure the package does leak or distort because of expansion caused by temperature changes.

Packing instruction

Columns G, I, and K of the list of dangerous goods contain a numeric or alphanumeric number that corresponds to the packing instruction for that material. The packing instruction contains general packing information along with authorized packages for the selected material.