ISO 17712:2013

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 17712
Second edition
2013-05-15
Freight containers — Mechanical seals
Conteneurs pour le transport de marchandises — Scellés mécaniques
Reference number
©
ISO 2013
© ISO 2013
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ii © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 General terms . 1
3.2 Terms describing different types of mechanical seals . 2
4 Seal requirements . 4
4.1 General and environmental . 4
4.2 Marking . 4
4.3 Identification marks . 5
4.4 Evidence of tampering . . 5
5 Testing for seal classification . 6
5.1 General . 6
5.2 Tensile test . 6
5.3 Shear test .11
5.4 Bending test .15
5.5 Impact test .17
5.6 Seal classification test report .19
6 Evidence of tampering .19
6.1 General .19
6.2 Test apparatus .20
6.3 Test tools .21
6.4 Test methods .21
6.5 Evidence of tampering . .22
6.6 Test results.23
Annex A (normative) Seal manufacturers’ security-related practices .24
Annex B (normative) Transition time for requirements of amended Clause 6 .29
Bibliography .30
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies
casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 17712 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 104, Freight containers.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 17712:2010), which has been
technically revised.
iv © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 17712:2013(E)
Freight containers — Mechanical seals
1 Scope
This International Standard establishes uniform procedures for the classification, acceptance, and
withdrawal of mechanical freight container seals. It provides a single source of information on mechanical
seals which are acceptable for securing freight containers in international commerce.
NOTE The purpose of mechanical seals is, as part of a security system, to determine whether a freight
container has been tampered with, i.e. whether there has been unauthorized entry into the container through its
doors. Seals can be effective only if seal users properly select, store, account for, apply, document, and attend to
seals prior to use and in use; while these issues are not addressed in this International Standard, they are relevant
to successful use of the seals covered by this International Standard.
Seals that conform to this International Standard are suitable for other applications, such as bulk railcars
or truck trailers used in cross-border and domestic operations. Users and regulatory agencies can apply
this International Standard to other applications as they deem appropriate.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15417, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Code
128 bar code symbology specification
ISO/IEC 17020, Conformity assessment — Requirements for the operation of various types of bodies
performing inspection
ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1 General terms
3.1.1
seal
mechanical device marked with a unique identifier and usually designed for a single use, which is
externally affixed to the container doors and designed to evidence tampering or intrusion through the
doors of a container and to secure closed doors of a container
Note 1 to entry: Depending on its design and construction, the seal provides varying degrees of resistance to an
intentional or unintentional attempt to open it or to enter the freight container through the container doors.
Note 2 to entry: Seals need to be designed and constructed so that tamper attempts create and leave evidence of
that tampering.
Note 3 to entry: All grades and types of seals require inspection to indicate whether tampering has occurred or
entry has been attempted.
3.1.2
high-security seal
seal that is constructed and manufactured of material such as metal or metal cable with the intent to
delay intrusion
Note 1 to entry: High-security seals can generally be removed with substantial bolt cutters or cable cutters.
3.1.3
security seal
seal that is constructed and manufactured of material that provides limited resistance to intrusion and
requires lightweight tools for removal
3.1.4
indicative seal
seal that is constructed and manufactured of material that can easily be broken by hand or by using a
simple snipping tool or shear
3.1.5
manufacturer
company or entity that either owns the seal-producing factory or contracts to buy made-to-order seals
for resale from a third-party factory
3.1.6
bar code
automatic identification technology that encodes information into an array of parallel bars and spaces
of varying widths
3.1.7
defeated seal
seal which has been opened or removed and replaced or reconstructed without detectable evidence of
tampering
3.1.8
tampering
attempt to open or remove and then replace or reconstruct a seal without leaving detectable evidence
of the attempt
3.1.9
tamper evidence
tell-tale indication that an attempt has been made to open or remove and then replace or reconstruct
without detectable evidence of that attempt
Note 1 to entry: Examples of tamper evidence include a change in the colour of the material, in surface texture,
cracks, indentations, or abrasions. Tamper evident indicators are recognizable by normal examination under the
usual circumstances prevailing in practice without technical aids (such as a magnifying glass or microscope).
3.1.10
indicativeness
ability to reveal evidence after attempts have been made to tamper with the seal
3.2 Terms describing different types of mechanical seals
3.2.1
wire seal
length of wire secured in a loop by some type of seizing device
EXAMPLE Wire seals include: crimp wire, fold wire, and cup wire seals.
Note 1 to entry: The seizing device can be plastic or metal and its deformation is one indication of tampering.
2 © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

3.2.2
padlock seal
locking body with a bail attached
EXAMPLE Padlock seals include: wire shackle padlock (metal or plastic body), plastic padlock, and keyless
padlock seals.
Note 1 to entry: The padlock itself is not an integral part of the freight container.
3.2.3
strap seal
metal or plastic strap secured in a loop by inserting one end into or through a protected (covered)
locking mechanism on the other end
Note 1 to entry: The seizing device can be plastic or metal and its deformation is one indication of tampering.
3.2.4
cable seal
cable and a locking mechanism
EXAMPLE On a one-piece seal, the locking or seizing mechanism is permanently attached to one end of the
cable. A two-piece cable seal has a separate locking mechanism which slips onto the cable or prefabricated cable end.
3.2.5
bolt seal
metal rod, threaded or unthreaded, flexible or rigid, with a formed head, secured with a separate
locking mechanism
3.2.6
cinch seal
pull-up seal
indicative seal consisting of a thin strip of material, serrated or non-serrated, with a locking mechanism
attached to one end
Note 1 to entry: The free end is pulled through a hole in the locking mechanism and drawn up to the necessary
tightness. Cinch or pull-up type seals can have multiple lock positions. These seals are generally made of synthetic
materials such as nylon or plastic. They can resemble, but are significantly different from, simple electrical ties.
3.2.7
twist seal
steel rod or heavy-gauge wire of various diameters, which is inserted through the locking fixture and
twisted around itself by use of a special tool
3.2.
...