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Shipping and Receiving

Contact Information

Logistics team

ALS Shipping & Receiving LBNL Central Shipping & Receiving
Building Building 53 room 101 Building 69
Regular business hours Monday – Friday
7:00 AM – 3:30 PM		 Monday – Friday
7:30 AM – 4:00 PM (Central Shipping)
7:00 AM – 3:30 PM (Central Receiving)
Cut off times for same day shipping 8:00 AM – 1:30 PM (domestic)
8:00 AM – 12:30 PM (international, provided all steps are completed)		 Shipment pickups (UPS, FedEx Express) between 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Phone 510-486-4494 510-486-4935
Email als-shipping@lbl.gov Central Shipping: shipping@lbl.gov
Central Receiving: receiving@lbl.gov

Incoming Shipments to the ALS

Incoming shipments go through LBNL Central Receiving (B69) before being routed to the ALS. ALS packages for Buildings 6, 80, 80A, 15, and 53 must be addressed to the recipient, which would typically be the ALS user. Packages are delivered by the ALS material handler to the recipient names/locations on labels.

Before packages arrive, email ALS Logistics about:

  • any shipments that will arrive before or during your stay;
  • specific location delivery needs, if applicable;
  • and special handling instructions, if applicable.

If possible, schedule your shipment to arrive a few days before you will be on site. If you intend on shipping hazardous materials, storage and shipment may require advance planning.

Labeling

Label all packages containing samples with the following:

ALS User Sample
Beamline scientist’s name / user’s name
No LBNL PO # B53-101
1 Cyclotron Road
Berkeley, CA 94720

Biological Materials*

Additional instructions for packages containing biological materials:

  • Email tracking numbers for biological packages to the ALS Biosafety Specialist (als-biosafety@lbl.gov) as soon as you receive them.
  • Fill out, print, and attach the following document to the outside of biological packages: Biological Label.
  • Retain original containment (secondary containment, shipping boxes, etc.) if you plan on shipping your biological materials from the ALS after your experiment ends.

*Note: If you are shipping dewars for crystallography, disregard the instructions in the “Biological Materials” section above. Instead, contact your program (e.g., BCSB, SIBYLS) for shipping information.

U.S. Customs

For shipments arriving through U.S. Customs, users are advised to contact LBNL’s Central Receiving in advance and provide the following:

  • Name of the carrier
  • Air bill number

Additional information that can assist LBNL’s customs brokers to expedite delivery of equipment purchased outside the U.S. include the following:

  • Lab purchase order number
  • Notification of whether duty must be paid

Express Deliveries

Users who are expecting an express shipment should email ALS Logistics the following information to receive packages in a timely manner:

  • Tracking number
  • Name of the courier company
  • Name on shipping label
  • Beamline or office location for delivery

Large Items Requiring a Forklift

The ALS recommends that shipments requiring a forklift arrive Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 2:30 PM.

Outgoing Shipments from the ALS

All items shipped from the ALS must be handled by either ALS Logistics or Central Shipping.

Personal items may not be shipped from LBNL.

Domestic Shipping from the ALS

Each package must have appropriate and complete documentation.

  1. Do not seal packages. They will be inspected by LBNL personnel before they are shipped.
  2. Complete a shipping request https://facilities.lbl.gov/service/shipping-and-receiving/;
    include:

    1. Your Name
    2. Valid project ID
    3. Description of material/equipment being shipped
    4. MSDS/SDS for samples containing hazardous materials
  3. Bring all items to Building 53 with a prepaid shipping label. We will box up the material and ship it out.

International Shipping from the ALS

Resources:

If you plan on shipping samples or equipment back to your home organization/institution, then you must obtain export control approval before you bring your shipment to ALS Logistics (Building 53) or Central Shipping (Building 69). Approval can take 1-3 business days.

Note: Once approval is obtained, it extends to future shipping of the same samples and equipment. However, you still need to contact exportcontrol@lbl.gov; forward a copy of your previous approval and let export control know you are shipping the same items again. An overview of export control can be found here: Export Control.

Needed by the shipper:

  1. Bring your Completed Shipping Request paperwork
  2. Bring your Export Control clearance email (print out or email to us)
  3. Acquire Schedule B codes for items
  4. Check restrictions for the country you are shipping to; for example:
    Europe destinations require an EORI number for the company or institution you are shipping to. “Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) number is a unique identifier for businesses and individuals who import, export, or transit goods in or out of the European Union (EU).”

The shipper will arrange transportation for international shipments unless your home institution makes all shipping arrangements.

Shipping materials to State Sponsors of Terrorism is prohibited.  Contact Berkeley Lab Procurement for more information.

Returning Shipments

Items being returned to the manufacturer for refunds, exchanges, or repair must have the item’s original Purchase Order (PO) number and a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) number from the supplier. This includes items picked up on-site by a vendor.

Shipping Hazardous Materials

Transportation of hazardous materials in private vehicles is prohibited.

Users should consult with a materials specialist at their home institution regarding the proper handling and shipping of hazardous materials. Hazardous materials shipped to or from LBNL by truck must be packaged and handled according to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) guidelines. Hazardous materials shipped by air must meet International Air Transportation Association (IATA) regulations.

  • All samples containing hazardous materials or hazardous chemicals must be shipped by Central Shipping.
  • Each shipment of hazardous materials must include pertinent Materials Safety Data Sheets (SDSs/MSDSs) and the quantity of each hazardous material within the shipment.
  • Ship the smallest quantity necessary for your experiment. Use of hazardous materials on the experiment floor is limited to small quantities.

Additional information:

  • Contact LBNL Central Shipping (shipping@lbl.gov; 510-486-5084) for information about the proper packing and safe shipment of hazardous materials.
  • Contact LBNL Environment, Health, & Safety (EHS-Export@lbl.gov; 510-486-7407) for health and safety information regarding hazardous materials.
  • Visit Purchase, Delivery, and Storage of Gases for information about gas shipments.