The UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods provides guidance for governments and international organizations to ensure the safe and secure transport of hazardous materials, including potentially infectious substances, across road, rail, air, sea, and inland waterway transportation. The resource provides a standardized approach to transporting dangerous goods to ensure consistency across countries, such that countries can align their national regulations with international standards.

The Recommendations cover classification, packaging, labeling and marking, documentation, handling and storage, emergency response, training, security provision, and multimodal harmonization. Infectious substances are described under Class 6.2, and divided into two categories based on level of threat. The Recommendations are designed to minimize risks and protect humans, animals, and the environment during transport.

The Recommendations are useful to a diverse audience, including national and regional regulatory bodies to develop and enforce regulations; transport and logistics companies to guide operations; laboratories, hospitals, and research institutions to safely pack and transport samples; and trainers to help educate and certify personnel and ensure compliance.

Note: this is the first of two volumes.