t is important to know the shipping guidelines, radioactivity regulations, and personnel contacts prior to any sample shipment. Keep the following in mind when preparing shipments:
- Understand the federal, state, and local laws and regulations where you will be shipping from.
- Know your home facility’s radioactivity guidelines and who the radiological safety officer is to coordinate your plans with them.
For shipments to ORNL from the United States see the Shipping Checklist
For shipments to ORNL from outside the United States see the International Shipping Checklist
ORNL Neutron Sciences Shipping Guide for Samples Containing Beryllium
When to Ship
Samples and equipment are expected to arrive seven business days before the scheduled beam time to avoid any delays or loss of beam time. Communicate with your local contact if exceptions to this policy are required (for example, time-sensitive/perishable samples). It is your responsibility to determine when to ship samples from your home institution to meet this requirement.
Be aware of and avoid shipping around U.S. federal holidays, as it could delay the arrival of shipments.
How to Ship
To ensure materials are shipped appropriately and processed correctly upon arrival, review the below requirements.
Instrument-specific shipping requirements may exist. Refer to the applicable instrument page or speak with your contact to determine any specific shipping requirements for the instrument you will be using.
If shipping from outside the United States, please review the International Shipping section below for additional requirements.
ORNL Requirements for Processing Samples
- Confirm sample information in the Integrated Proposal Tracking System (IPTS)
Review the status of your proposal in IPTS. All samples must be confirmed and approved by the facility before arriving. Do not send samples that have not been confirmed and approved. - Provide a correct parcel shipping address
When confirming your proposal, provide a parcel shipping address for return. Coordinate with your institution’s Radiation Safety Officer to determine the most conservative return address. It is best to assume samples will have residual radioactivity after the experiment. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will not return samples to a home address. - Include a detailed packing list of all samples and materials
Individually label/identify your sample(s) and indicate sample constituent/formula. Samples that are not clearly identified will cause delays. - Include Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
If there are no SDSs available for your samples, send an SDS for each constituent/ingredient (not element) of your sample. For information on what an SDS requires, visit OSHA .
Samples that are Fissile and Special Nuclear Materials
If shipping samples that are fissile materials, special nuclear materials, or require something beyond a typical commercial carrier, please contact [email protected]. The User Labs and Sample Support team will coordinate with ORNL’s Radiation Protection Officer.
Shipping Containers
Ensure the shipping container looks professional and clean. A new outer container without an excess of tape or markings is best. Otherwise, remove or blackout pre-existing labels on the container.
Shipping Providers
You are encouraged to use a shipping provider who delivers directly to ORNL, such as FedEx, UPS, and DHL. Shipments from these providers are considered priorities and are processed through the ORNL shipping facilities within 8-24 hours of delivery.
Please be aware that the use of the United States Postal Service (USPS) may delay the processing of samples due to a longer lead time for sorting.
If shipping from outside the United States, you are responsible for all aspects of the U.S. Customs clearance process. This includes payment of applicable duties or fees. Go to the International Shipments section for more information.
Special Handling Requirements
If a sample has one or more special requirements, please include them in the Attention Line, such as Refrigerated, -20 freezer or-80 freezer, Anaerobic, otherwise leave blank.
If special temperature is selected, do not ship over a weekend.
Send tracking numbers to [email protected].
Where to Ship
Sample shipments should be sent to the facility where the experiment will occur (HFIR or SNS) and labeled whether it is non-radioactive or radioactive, Department of Transportation (DOT) Class 7.
Contact [email protected] for questions or information about how to ship samples that fall outside of the provided classifications.
If the carrier (such as UPS) requires a “ship to” person, ship to Luke Heroux.
Non-Radioactive Materials
Experiments at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) ship to:
Recipient: IPTS <your IPTS number>, SNS User Sample
Oak Ridge National Laboratory / SNS Site
P.O. Box 2008 (MS6460), 9500 Spallation Drive
Bldg. 8600, Rm G-201 <Special requirements (example: freezer or inert gas)>
Oak Ridge, TN 37830-6460SNS Sample Management Desk phone number: 865-382-8466
Experiments at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) ship to:
Recipient: IPTS <your IPTS number>, HFIR User sample
Oak Ridge National Laboratory / HFIR Site
P.O. Box 2008 (MS6471), 1 Bethel Valley Road
Bldg. 7972 Room 100 <Special requirements (example: freezer or inert gas)>
Oak Ridge, TN 37830-6460HFIR Sample Management Desk phone number: 865-237-0602
Radioactive Materials (DOT Class 7)
Unless samples are fissile materials, special nuclear materials, or require something beyond a typical commercial carrier, ship them to the address below with the proper DOT packaging, placarding, and/or labeling for the radionuclides and activity. Please include your facility’s report of radionuclide composition in your shipment.
Experiments at SNS ship to:
Recipient: IPTS <your IPTS number>, SNS User Sample
Oak Ridge National Laboratory / SNS Site
1 Bethel Valley Road
Bldg. 7120 <Special requirements (example: freezer or inert gas)>
Oak Ridge, TN 37830SNS Sample Management Desk phone number: 865-382-8466
Experiments at HFIR ship to:
Recipient: IPTS <your IPTS number>, HFIR User Sample
Oak Ridge National Laboratory / HFIR Site
1 Bethel Valley Road
Bldg. 7120 <Special requirements (example: freezer or inert gas)>
Oak Ridge, TN 378301 Bethel Valley RoadHFIR Sample Management Desk phone number: 865-237-0602