Skip to content

In this section

Home > Using ISIS > Academics > Experimental support > Support laboratories > Sample shipping

Sample shipping guide for users

Guidance for users on shipping samples and chemicals to ISIS

A forklift truck loading items on to a lorry

Key information

Before shipping samples or equipment to ISIS, ensure you understand all shipping, customs, and safety regulations.

General requirements

  • Review local and international Dangerous Goods and radioactivity regulations. Consult your institution’s logistics or safety team for guidance. ISIS staff cannot advise on details of Dangerous Goods regulatory requirements from your home institutions.
  • Radioactive materials: be aware of your home facility/institute’s radioactivity guidelines and who the radiological safety officer is to coordinate your plans with them. Please also ensure you contact the ISIS sample team (ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk) prior to shipping radioactive materials.
  • Nuclear materials: contact the ISIS Sample Safety Team (ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk). The ISIS Sample Safety Team will coordinate the approvals and reporting requirements to receive these samples. Please allow 4 weeks for this process to be completed in time for your experiment. We do not accept Plutonium or Neptunium containing samples.

Commercially available chemicals

Users are advised to contact the Support Labs Team (ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk) to check if chemicals needed for your experiment are in stock in advance of your experiment. If you intend to purchase chemicals for your experiment please consider getting them delivered to ISIS directly from the supplier. The Support Labs Group can help with this (ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk).

When to ship

  • All materials should arrive at least seven days before your scheduled beamtime.
  • The RAL site cannot receive deliveries outside business hours or at weekends.
  • Please bear in mind customs formalities now UK have left the EU

How to ship

  • Ensure all samples are recorded in your Experimental Risk Assessment (ERA).
  • Include a detailed packing list and clear sample identification.
  • Use a clean, clearly labelled shipping container and remove old labels.
  • Coordinate any special handling requirements (e.g. refrigeration, moisture sensitivity) with your local contact.
  • If shipping from outside the UK, you are responsible for all aspects of the UK Customs clearance process. This may include payment of applicable duties or fees. Our logistics staff can help you with any specific queries about your shipments and the UK Customs clearance process, you can email them at DESPATCH@stfc.ac.uk.

Where to send your shipment

  • Use the correct non-radioactive or radioactive shipping address template.
    Clearly label packages with your RB number, instrument name, and local contact.

After your experiment

  • Indicate in your ERA whether samples will be disposed of, returned, or stored short term.
  • After the experiment is complete, the options for sample disposition are:
  • Sample disposal through waste streaming in the labs
  • Short term (agreed) storage, within our logged storage cupboards
  • Sample return via ISIS Logistics – speak to your local contact
  • Take the sample away with you (if not radioactive or classified as a Dangerous Good above any relevant exemption limits) – contact ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk
  • After the experiment is complete, ISIS staff will determine when samples and user-supplied equipment can be returned. Please note, that depending on the composition of the sample, it may become radioactive in the beam and need to be stored for a period of time, to allow the radioactivity to decay before returning.

Within UK shipping checklist

Ensure radioactive samples have been approved by ISIS to be received before shipping. Please contact the ISIS Sample Safety Team ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk

  • Confirm the sample(s) you are shipping is listed in an ERA (Experimental Risk Assessment) or your local contact has been made aware of and acknowledged details of the sample composition, associated hazards and sample handling instructions.
  • Talk to your logistics team about your local requirements for dangerous goods shipments.
  • Choose a shipping provider who will pick up your sample and deliver it to ISIS.
  • Include a detailed packing list of all samples and materials in your shipment.
  • Choose a clean and professional shipping container, without any excess of tape or markings.
  • Correctly address and label your shipment and include:
    • ISIS contact name and shipping address
    • Experiment RB number
    • Your full name
    • Your organisation’s address
  • If your sample has any special requirements, such as low temperature storage, let your local contact know about them before shipping.
  • Inform your local contact that the shipment has been dispatched and provide any tracking details available.

International shipping checklist

Ensure radioactive samples have been approved by ISIS to be received before shipping. Please contact the ISIS Sample Safety Team ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk

  • Confirm the sample(s) you are shipping is listed in an ERA (Experimental Risk Assessment) or your local contact has been made aware of and acknowledged details of the sample composition, associated hazards and sample handling instructions.
  • Talk to your logistics team about your local requirements for dangerous goods shipments.
  • Choose a shipping provider who will pick up your sample and deliver it to ISIS.
  • Work with your shipping provider to complete the required documentation in advance, this will likely include:
    • Shipping Invoice (which includes a Description of Goods, Country of Origin, Net weight, Commodity Code, Value (Realistic)), Export Entry Forms, Packing List and CMR (a consignment note)
    • Agent details and full contact details of sender and receiver
  • Discuss with your shipper and ensure the relevant import customs duties are processed prior to shipping, this can be completed in the following ways:
    • Payment of the import duty (this is usually done through the Shipping Agent/Courier and placed against your shipping account)
    • OR Applying for a carnet through your country chamber of commerce or equivalent (each Country (if a participant in this scheme) will have their own method of raising these documents.  In most countries, this would involve to the Chamber of Commerce or Local Customs Office.  Your shipping agent should be able to advise on this)
    • OR Declaring on the shipping invoice that the import is on a temporary arrangement, and send all details prior to shipping to the ISIS customs clearance contacts to arrange the clearance This route requires preapproval, please contact our logistics team in advance – See point 6 below.
  • Please note that the ISIS customs clearance contacts are – Ben Lewis (Ben.Lewis@stfc.ac.uk) or or Matt Danson (Matt.Danson@stfc.ac.uk).
  • Include a detailed packing list of all samples and materials in your shipment.
  • Consult with your logistics/dispatching team that the appropriate packing and documentation has been completed for dangerous goods shipping regulations.
  • Choose a clean and professional shipping container, without any excess of tape or markings.
  • Correctly address and label your shipment and include:
    • ​Your organisation’s address
    • Your full name and contact information as the exporter (phone number and email address required)
    • ISIS contact name and shipping address.
    • Experiment RB number
  • If your sample has any special requirements, such as low temperature storage, let your local contact know about them before shipping.
  • Send the shipping information (as outlined in section 4 above) to despatch@stfc.ac.uk, so that the customs clearance can be arranged prior to the package arriving at the UK borders.
  • Inform your local contact that the shipment has been dispatched and provide any tracking details available.
  • Discuss the requirements for the samples post experiment with your local contact – disposal/return shipment/prearranged short term storage at ISIS.

Useful Tips

Hand Luggage

We do not advise you to carry goods in Hand Luggage (Declared or Undeclared) – This will potentially make returning goods difficult.

Custom clearance information

If ISIS are clearing goods through an agent as part of your shipping arrangements with your shipping provider, we need specific details to aid Clearance as well as all documentation. (This can be provided by your shipping agent)

  • Date of Export
  • Expected Date of Arrival
  • Port of Exit
  • Port of Arrival
  • Vehicle Registration and Trailer No. (If Applicable)

Goods valuation

The value must be realistic and reflective of the goods, do not value artificially Low – Customs (His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)) may interrogate the value, and this can slow down the whole process.

Description of goods

Use clear, common chemical or product names so your shipping provider can correctly classify the goods and assign a Commodity Code, which identifies the item for customs, duty rates, and export/import controls. Couriers must verify what they are transporting and may request clarification for safety reasons.

Contact

For help or approval, contact the Sample Safety Team: ISISSampleSafety@stfc.ac.uk

Team member