How to evaluate the weight and volume of a medical consignment
General information
In some circumstances logisticians have to evaluate extremely quickly the weight and volume of a medical consignment. This is the case when they have very little time to book a transport, e.g. at the same time a consignment has to be prepared for an emergency and a way of forwarding this consignment has to be found as fast as possible.
The list of weights hereunder is meant to help calculating in a few minutes the weight and volume of a consignment of miscellaneous medical supplies. On purpose this list is not detailed, it represents averages for each kind of supplies and only gives a rough estimation (with more or less 20 % accuracy) of the weight of goods ready for departure, including packing
Typical weight for major medical items
|
Infusions |
|
|
1 litre infusion in plastic pouch or bottle |
1.3kg |
|
Ampoules |
|
|
100 amp. 2ml |
0.6kg |
|
100 amp. 5ml |
1.0kg |
|
100 amp. 10ml |
1.6kg |
|
Vials |
|
|
100 vials |
3.5kg |
|
Tablets |
|
|
1000 small tablets |
0.3kg |
|
1000 large tablets |
0.8kg |
|
Urine bags |
|
|
200 urine bags |
8.0kg |
|
POP (Plaster of Paris) |
|
|
10 POP 10cm |
1.8kg |
|
10 POP 15cm |
2.7kg |
|
10 POP 20cm |
3.6kg |
|
Elastic bandages |
|
|
10 elastic bandages 10cm |
0.5kg |
|
Elastic gauze bandages |
|
|
10 elastic gauze bandages 10cm |
0.2kg |
|
Gauze compresses |
|
|
Big 100m x 1 m |
3.0kg |
|
100 sterilized gauze compresses 10x20cm |
0.3kg |
|
25 packs of 2 sterile compresses |
0.6kg |
|
Syringes |
|
|
100 syringes 2ml |
0.4kg |
|
100 syringes 5ml |
0.6kg |
|
100 syringes 10ml |
1.0kg |
|
IV canulas |
|
|
50 IV canulas |
0.3kg |
|
Gloves, surgical |
|
|
50 pairs |
2.5kg |
|
Sutures |
|
|
36 single pieces |
0.2kg |
|
X-Ray films |
|
|
100 films 24x30cm |
2.7kg |
|
100 films 30x40cm |
3.7kg |
|
100 films 35x43cm |
5.6kg |
The volume can be calculated as follows
Infusions
1 ton of packed supplies measures 2.2 cubic meters
Dressings
1 ton of packed supplies measures 9 cubic meters
Miscellaneous (all types of items together)
1 ton of packed supplies measures 4 cubic meters
Cold chain
See volume of cold chain containers.