All biological materials that qualify as patient specimens (human and animal sources) shall be packaged according to a triple packaging system and marked as “Exempt human specimen” or “Exempt animal specimen,” depending on the source. The three components of a triple packaging system are:
The primary receptacle holds the biological material and should be leak-proof and watertight. It is packed in the secondary container in such a way that, under normal conditions of transport, it will not break, be punctured, or leak its contents into the secondary container. If there are multiple, fragile primary receptacles, they should be individually wrapped or separated to prevent contact during transport.
The secondary container is a durable, watertight, leak-proof container that encloses and protects the primary receptacle(s). Several cushioned primary receptacles may be placed in one secondary container. If the primary receptacle contains any liquid, the secondary container should contain enough absorbent material to absorb all of the fluid from the primary receptacle(s) in case of breakage. For samples of human origin, an international biohazard symbol shall be displayed on the secondary container in accordance with the OSHA bloodborne pathogen standard 29 CFR 1910.1030.
The outer container is a rigid, durable container with one side that is at least 10 cm by 10 cm (or 4 inches by 4 inches) that houses the secondary container. It should be strong enough to resist physical damage while in transit. An itemized list of package contents should be included between the outer and secondary container.
The outer container shall be properly marked and labeled with the words “Exempt human specimens” or “Exempt animal specimens.”