Standard Operating Procedures for Shipping Non-Infectious Human* and Animal Material*

PLACE SPECIMENS IN WATERTIGHT PRIMARY CONTAINER

• Primary container(s) may be glass, metal, or plastic; positive means of ensuring a leak proof seal, skirted stopper, or metal crimp seal must be provided; reinforce screw caps with adhesive tape.

• Primary containers must not contain more than 500 mL or 500 g.

• Primary container must be able to withstand very low temperatures if using liquid nitrogen or dry ice; requirements for shipping liquid nitrogen or dry ice must also be observed.

PLACE PRIMARY CONTAINER INSIDE WATERTIGHT SECONDARY CONTAINER

• Secondary containers may be plastic canisters, sealed plastic bags, sealed Styrofoam containers 1” thick minimum, screw-cap cans.

PLACE ABSORBENT MATERIAL BETWEEN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CONTAINERS

• Place absorbent material between the primary and secondary containers, making sure that multiple primary receptacles are individually wrapped to prevent contact.

• Use enough absorbent material to absorb the entire contents of all primary receptacles.

• Absorbent materials include cellulose wadding, cotton balls, super absorbent packets, and paper towels

PLACE SECONDARY CONTAINER INSIDE STURDY OUTER PACKAGE

• Enclose an itemized list of contents between the secondary packaging and the outer packaging.

• Generally, outer packaging must withstand dropping from 6 feet.

• Use corrugated fiberboard, wood, metal or rigid plastic

• UNACCEPTABLE outer packaging includes Styrofoam boxes, plastic bags, paper envelopes, FedEx envelopes, FedEx tubes, FedEx Pak or FedEx box.

• Outer packaging must not contain more than 4 L or 4 Kg.

• Fill voids to prevent movement of secondary container.

MARKINGS ON OUTER PACKAGE

• On the same side of box, mark legibly:

• Addressee and Addressor

• Note: If dry ice or liquid nitrogen added, then mark according to those shipping instructions.

*Human or animal material including, but not limited to, excreta, secreta, blood, and its components, cells, cell lines, tissue and tissue fluids, not known or reasonably suspected to contain infectious agents nor being shipped for purposes of diagnosis. Samples known or reasonably suspected to contain infectious substances or samples being shipped for purposes of diagnosis must be packaged and marked differently

Visit: http://www.fedex.com/us/services/pdf/PKG_Pointers_Specimens.pdf for more information

On the airway bill in the “Nature and Quantity of Goods” box, enter text “Human (or Primate) cells, not known to be infectious”.