A recognition is an attestation issued by the BAM confirming that a body meets the requirements specified by the BAM. There are two types of bodies recognised by the BAM:

  • test houses/inspection bodies (only recognised test houses may carry out the design testing required for approvals of dangerous goods packagings)
  • monitoring bodies (only recognised monitoring bodies may carry out surveillance of the manufacturers quality control system).

Recognitions are limited in time and fulfilment of the requirements is regularly re-evaluated by the BAM.

Furthermore the BAM recognises the quality control system of manufacturers of dangerous goods packagings.

The BAM has been notified officially to execute these duties under the German dangerous goods legislation (RSEB).

1. Recognition of monitoring bodies

The manufacturing of dangerous goods packagings, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and large packagings (LPs) has to be carried out under a quality assurance programme (QAP), which must be approved by the national authority (the BAM) and monitored regularly.

The BAM has delegated this duty to monitoring bodies which are recognised by the BAM.
Recognized monitoring bodies to conduct audits and monitoring tests

The quality control system for all approvals of dangerous goods packagings must be monitored, irregardless of whether the packagings are produced in Germany or abroad.
Foreign authorities with existing agreements to conduct audits and monitoring tests

1.1 Requirements and duties

The requirements and duties of monitoring bodies are laid down in the BAM Dangerous Goods Procedural Rule BAM-GGR 001 and its appendices.

These are:

  • regular audits of the quality assurance programme (QAP) (generally every 3 years)
  • regular monitoring of the manufacturer’s production control (generally once a year)
  • documentation of the monitoring measures
  • documentation and remedying of safety-relevant deficiencies

The Dangerous Goods Procedural Rules and other standard forms can be found in Official publications.

All monitoring bodies are members of the Network Monitoring Bodies (INQÜ).

You will find documents of the meetings in the member´s area.

2. Recognition of test houses

According to the internationally agreed dangerous goods regulations, packagings must pass a design type test.

In Germany, the BAM is the competent authority which can delegate these duties to test houses recognised by the BAM.
Recognised test houses (in German)

2.1 Requirements and duties

The Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development has set down in agreement with the local states the essential elements of the procedures in Annex 3 to its RSEB "Guidelines on the application of the dangerous goods regulation to the transport on road, rail and inland waterways" (GGVSEB).

The recognition can embrace only single tests or the complete design type test of packagings, IBCs or large packagings.

Test houses must demonstrate to the BAM their organisational abilities and professional expertise for an audit.

The validity of the recognition is normally limited to three years but may be prolonged on application depending on a positive re-audit by the BAM.

Test houses abroad are re-audited every year. They do not have to attend the "Network Test Houses" as the others do.

You will find documents of the meetings in the member´s area.

All recognised test houses must be members of the Network Test Houses.

2.2 Required documents

Documents have to be submitted to:

Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing
Working Group Testing and Investigation; Securing of Load
D-12200 Berlin

There is a service charge for recognition.

See BAM-GGR 005, Anhang 1 (in German)

2.3 Revising a recognition

This is usually done when the range of tests performed is to be expanded. In this case too, the test houses are required to provide corresponding evidence as in point 3.2. In most cases, the changes are recognised within the framework of the regular inspections of the test house by the BAM.

2.4 Revoking a recognition

When a test house discontinues its service, it is obliged to return its recognition to the BAM, after which it will be removed from the list of test houses.

A different situation arises if evidence shows that the test house is performing its tests poorly. If the test house does not eliminate these problems in spite of being requested to do so by the BAM, the BAM may decide to revoke the recognition. The consequence of this is that type tests for packagings, large packagings and IBCs for the transport of dangerous goods of those test houses will no longer be considered by the BAM for approval.

3. Recognition of inspection bodies for IBCs

Inspection bodies must demonstrate to the BAM their organisational abilities and professional expertise for an audit.

The validity of the recognition is limited normally to three years but may be prolonged on application depending on a positive re-audit by the BAM.

All recognised inspection bodies must be members of the "Network inspection bodies". Alternatively, the validity of the recognition is limited to one year.

List of Recognised Inspection Bodies

further information