User Guide

Experimental Materials

Many common reagents are available at NSLS-II for users. Check with beamline staff prior to bringing or shipping materials to determine if needed materials are already available.

Most experiment samples and small quantities of common reagents qualify as U.S. Dept. of Transportation 'Materials of Trade' (DOT MOT), and can be transported by personal vehicle. Some highly toxic or reactive materials have very low quantity limits for transport. Check with NSLS-II ESH staff if you have questions. The following are examples of materials that are NOT considered MOT in any quantity and may not be brought by car or by air.

• Self-Reacting (Class 4.1)
• Poisonous by inhalation (Class 6.1)
• Radiological material (Class 7)
•  Some Infectious Material (Class 6.2)
• Hazardous Waste (must be disposed at BNL)

Always ensure that shipped materials are packaged properly to prevent leaks, spills, or hazardous environments inside the vehicle. A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) must be available for the material. The package must be secured inside the vehicle to prevent damage. The driver must have a valid driver’s license and the vehicle must be insured and in good mechanical condition. Do not place incompatible materials together.

For questions or more information, contact your host or beamline staff.

If you are ordering from your home institution purchasing department to be delivered to BNL, please be sure to add the beamline and name of the beamline staff that will be responsible for receiving the package. The beamline staff will assist in ensuring chemicals or gases are entered into our Chemical Management System if needed.

Carriers and Shipping Address

These materials must be shipped by a common carrier (FedEx or UPS) following DOT regulations. Be sure to note the shipping method on your Safety Approval Form. Once a Safety Approval Form is approved, users will receive an automated email from the PASS system with a link to print a package tag and materials list. Users can also access these documents via the SAF “Materials” tab in PASS. The package tag can be used with any carrier. The label includes the following information: shipping address, proposal number, PI, Safety Approval Form number, beamline number, beamline contact and phone.

Additionally, users should fill out the return address on the label and include it in the package for sample return after the measurements are concluded. Samples will not be disposed of at BNL.

A shipping memo must be prepared for materials leaving Brookhaven National Lab through a common carrier. Contact your beamline staff for assistance.

Shipping information as found on the package tag:

NSLS-II Shipping Coordinator
National Synchrotron Light Source II
740 Brookhaven Avenue
Bldg. 740 – Loading Dock
Upton, NY 11973-5000
Attn: <Proposal Number>, <Proposal Title>, <PI>, <Safety Approval Form Number>, <Beamline Number>, <Beamline Contact>, <Beamline Contact Phone>

Radioactive Material Transport

All radioactive material transport to and from Brookhaven National Lab must be coordinated with the Radiological Controls Division, Facility Support (FS) group and approved through the Packaging and Transportation group. Radioactive samples are not to be shipped directly to the NSLS-II. All experiment plans involving use of radioactive material shall be reported on a Safety Approval Form (SAF). Final SAF approval is required before sending any radioactive material to the NSLS-II.

Having radioactive materials delivered to Brookhaven Lab

Once SAF approval is obtained, call the Packaging and Transportation Group at (631) 344-5241. They will send you an “Information Request Form” to complete and submit to obtain an authorization number to ship your radioactive material. When you have received the authorization number, you will send your radioactive material to the address below:

Note: This includes radioactive material that is shipped by overnight carrier, e.g., Federal Express, DHL, etc. Radioactive material is not to be shipped directly to the location of the Department/Division using it. Radiological Control Division Facility Support Staff must survey the package before its contents are handled.

Ship radioactive materials to the following address.

U.S. Department of Energy
c/o Brookhaven National Laboratory
Bldg. 801, Loading Dock
60 Rutherford Drive
Upton, NY 11973-5000
Attn: Packaging and Transportation Group
For: <recipient name>, <authorization number>

Shipping radioactive material from Brookhaven Lab

Following your experiment, your radioactive material must be shipped back to the place of origin. The FS Group will supply a “Request Shipment of Radioactive Material” form to complete when your radioactive material is delivered to the beamline. The User will notify the FS Group when the form is completed and schedule a time to transfer the radioactive material back to the processing area at the completion of the experiment. A project and activity number are required to process a shipping memo for shipments, even if you are using prepaid shipping. Ask your host or authorized beamline staff if you do not have project and activity numbers.

Transporting radioactive materials between buildings on campus

The rules for transport of radioactive materials on site allow for some materials to be transported by the owner in government vehicles or by hand carrying. Requirements for moving radioactive materials under the supervision of a FS Representative (FS Rep) or Radiological Control Tech (RCT) are as follows.

• Training and driver’s license to drive government vehicles
• The package dose rate is < 100 mrem/hr at 30 cm (RWP, transportation authorization, and Rad Worker 1 training required)
• The material activity does not exceed ten times the limits established in Appendix E of 10 CFR 835 in any form
• There is no smearable contamination on the outside of the package greater than the release criteria
• The material is not accountable nuclear and/or fissile

If the radioactive material exceeds any of the above criteria, it must go through a Safety Assessment and be documented on the BNL On-site Transfer/Safety Assessment Form (TSAF).

Contact a Transportation Safety Subject Matter Expert for the TSAF form and assistance with packaging and transport at (631) 344-7651.

If the radioactive material meets the requirements above, contact the NSLS-II Facility Support Rep at (631) 344-3067 or (631) 344-4553 for help. They will assist in completing the required paperwork and in obtaining approval for the transport.