Emulsion Explosive IBC Totes
Built for Mining

No. Polyethylene and composite IBCs cannot meet the structural and certification requirements for Class 1 dangerous goods under Canada's TDG Regulations. Emulsion explosives require UN31A-certified rigid metal IBCs — either stainless steel or carbon steel — because metal construction provides the drop resistance, stacking strength, and hydraulic pressure tolerance required at the gross mass ratings of explosive emulsion applications.

See our Steel vs Poly IBC Containers comparison for a full breakdown.

Under Canada's TDG Regulations, IBCs used for dangerous goods must be inspected and recertified at prescribed intervals — typically every 2.5 years for periodic inspection and every 5 years for full recertification, though the exact schedule depends on the container's design type and the materials transported.

Containers that fail recertification must be removed from explosive service immediately. Hawman's IBC Testing & Recertification Services are specifically designed to keep containers legally serviceable through this process.

Yes. Hawman Container Services is the exclusive Canadian manufacturer of UN31A-certified steel IBC totes approved for emulsion explosive transport. With over 24 Transport Canada approved IBC designs and 40+ years of in-house manufacturing expertise, Hawman is the only domestically produced source for compliant emulsion explosive IBCs in Canada. All containers are manufactured entirely in-house at the Barrie, Ontario facilities with no outsourcing.

UN31A certification is valid for five years from the date of manufacture stamped on the container — not from the date of first use. A tote sitting in warehouse storage for two years before deployment enters the field with only three years of active certification remaining.

Once the five-year period expires, the container must be withdrawn from dangerous goods service and submitted for full recertification inspection before it can be returned to emulsion explosive transport.

Yes. Hawman ships certified IBCs to remote locations across Canada, including northern and fly-in mine sites where standard industrial supply chains aren't practical. For remote operations, sourcing directly from Hawman with confirmed delivery capability is a critical risk management consideration — if a non-compliant IBC reaches a fly-in mine site and gets flagged, replacement lead times through remote logistics corridors can stretch to weeks, halting blasting programs entirely.

Yes, in most jurisdictions. Transport Canada's UN31A type approval framework aligns with the UN Model Regulations that underpin international dangerous goods codes including IMDG (sea), ADR (European road), and national TDG frameworks in over 50 countries. This makes a single Canadian-certified container generally usable across West Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and other active mining regions. Procurement teams should verify local requirements for specific destination countries where autonomous national dangerous goods legislation applies.

A damaged emulsion IBC tote must be immediately withdrawn from service. Damage that voids UN31A certification includes dents exceeding TDG dimensional tolerances, cracking or porosity in welded seams, valve or fitting damage compromising the pressure rating, and corrosion reducing wall thickness below the certified minimum.

The container cannot be returned to emulsion explosive transport until it passes a full recertification inspection — including hydrostatic pressure testing and structural assessment — through a qualified facility such as Hawman's in-house recertification service.