We have had a few enquiries about sourcing sealing bags, since we no longer stock an official Motorsport UK product. It is acceptable for a scrutineer to source their own sealing bags and when they meet certain requirements (as outlined below) and are used and recorded correctly these will be perfectly acceptable as a judicial seal. We have compiled the following guidance to assist with finding suitable products:
- Obtain samples – test the product before committing to purchase
- A robust sealing method – make sure it cannot be easily opened without destroying or leaving clear evidence of tampering
- Glue or method of sticking that leaves a clear tell-tale (e.g. “void” or “opened” markings)
- Good quality plastic – thick and hard-wearing enough to retain any components likely to be sealed, especially sharp edges or points
- Go for clear bags rather than opaque so the contents can be seen without breaking the seal
- Individually/serial numbered – be as confident as possible that it is not easy to reorder bags with duplicate numbers
- Receipts – some products feature a tear-off strip after sealing with the identification details – recommended but not essential. A photo of the sealed bag can also act as a receipt
- Size – most bags come in varying sizes – A5, A4, A3 for example – make sure you find a product or range of products suitable for the intended use
- Space for details – on the face of the bag there must be a writing space to clearly record the following as a minimum:
- Date / Venue / Competition No. and Class / Scrutineer name, licence no., signature
- Remember to write on the bag before filling and sealing!
- Ensure the pen used and surface written on provide a marking that will not be easily rubbed off or smudged – allow time to dry if needed
- Basic sealing principles – remember best practice for sealing components – if you can apply a seal to the component before bagging it, then do so. The more layers of protection the better!
- Take photos! – make sure you photograph the sealed bag, including clearly visible ID and filled in details.
If you follow all of the advice above, then you should be able to source products that you can be confident will be an acceptable method of sealing judicially. As a useful starting point, the following link will take you to a product that has been used successfully, meeting all of the points outlined above, and in a range of suitable sizes: https://www.packagingpanda.co.uk/tamper-evident-bag.html