Sample Transport and Safety information below.

Objectives

• To assist Australian and New Zealand based synchrotron users holding an appointment at an Australian or New Zealand institution or company to send samples in dry shippers (dewars) for remote access experiments at the Australian Synchrotron.

Access Principles

The following principles are designed to ensure that maximum benefit is obtained for the Australian and New Zealand user community.  Funding for shipping sample dewars will be provided where:

• A proposal has been scheduled for beamtime through a competitive process or as part of a foundation investor beamtime allocation on an Australian Synchrotron beamline.
  AND
  The research group is located outside the Melbourne metropolitan area and the users are not requesting any travel or accommodation costs to be covered by the Australian Synchrotron.

Application Procedure

• Once notified of scheduled beamtime at the Australian Synchrotron, applicants are required to submit a completed Dewar Shipping Funding Request Form. Click here to download the funding request form.

• Applications can be submitted at any time prior to shipping of sample dewars to the Australian Synchrotron once the applicant has received notification of scheduled beamtime.   

• The User Office will email the applicant a letter of funding approval giving the amount of funding available for the dewar shipping within a week of receiving the funding request.  The maximum funding amounts are listed in the table below.

Once funding is approved the applicant should make all necessary arrangements for transporting their sample dewar to the Australian Synchrotron and once all expenses have been incurred raise a tax invoice to the Australian Synchrotron for the actual amount spent (up to the approved amount).  Original receipts are not required, however itemised expenditure and certification from the institution's financial office are needed on the Funding Acquittal Form. 

For further information or to download the funding acquittal form please click here

***Please note that the above process is to be completed within 4 weeks of returning from the allocated beamtime.

Level of Funding

This program is intended to cover the majority of the cost of shipping one dewar per scheduled experiment (as outlined above) to the Australian Synchrotron from the home Australian or New Zealand organisation.  For Foundation Investor groups, the cost of shipping one dewar per Foundation Investor consortium per beamline per proposal round will be covered.

Funding Table

Applicant location Maximum cost covered

Sample Transport and Safety

Before sending or bringing potentially hazardous samples/materials to the Australian Synchrotron, the User has the overall responsibility to ensure that:

• The samples/materials to be used on the beamline and/or in the preparation laboratories are explicitly listed on the Experimental Authorisation (EA) form, together with details as to how the hazardous materials will be handled, stored and if necessary, disposed of.

• Please be aware that schedule 7 poisons require a permit in Victoria. Please contact beamline staff if you are planning on using materials in this category.

• The samples/materials are appropriately contained, packaged and labelled. A sample information sheet and dewar shipping label must be completed prior to despatch and must accompany the dewar to the Australian Synchrotron. Please click here for the sample information sheet and dewar shipping label.

• The samples/materials conform to all relevant federal and state legislation covering ground, sea and air transport. For more details on this see:www.infrastructure.gov.au/transport/australia/dangerous/index.aspx

• The samples/materials can be safely stored at the Australian Synchrotron prior to their use in the scheduled experiment. The User must identify the storing conditions and any special precautions to be undertaken.

• The samples/materials will be taken away by the User after the experiment, or if this is not possible, it is the User responsibility to safely dispose of the materials on site in accordance with relevant State and AS guidance. The AS will assist wherever possible.

Note that the EA form must be submitted at least two weeks before the experiment is scheduled to commence.

No modifications to this form (i.e. adding an additional hazardous material) will be accepted less than three working days before the experiment is scheduled.