Question: This question relates to the TC Impact Approval spec. “I was wondering if you knew anything about the TC impact approved spec I saw recently stamped on tank containers? I am trying to design into our new tracking device an impact monitoring capability.” Tank Guru: Quoting from the UN Sub-Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, the TC Impact Approved mark is “used to identify tank containers that are in compliance with a design that has been successfully tested at a test facility approved by the Canadian competent authority.” What that means is that the tank container you saw (or more specifically, the prototype unit for that series of containers) was tested by the tank’s manufacturer for use on Canadian railroads, by virtue of completing of a rail impact test like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWeDwE_7gNU. Once testing is completed successfully, the Class Society issuing the design approval on behalf of the manufacturer will send to Transport Canada (http://www.tc.gc.ca/) a “pre-notification of intent to mark portable tanks” which outlines the tank numbers for the entire series of tanks to be marked with the TC Impact Approved marking. Tank containers are not allowed to be transported on Canadian railroads unless their capability to withstand impacts has been proven by this testing, and they must be marked accordingly. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWeDwE_7gNU] ]]>
