Transport of laboratory samples, UN3373 packed to P650
Blood, urine, tissue and cultures between blood-draw sites, GP practices, hospitals and laboratories. The lab classifies and packs (for UN3373 to P650); we check the mark, transport and record.
At pickup we check the mark (UN3373, or 'Exempt human specimen' for an exempt specimen) and the outer packaging. A shipment that is not recognisable or is incompletely packed does not come with us, and we report it immediately. A shipment packed and marked to P650 is exempt from the other ADR requirements.
Your laboratory sets the required transport conditions and wants to be able to show under which conditions a sample arrived. We supply the data for that: actual times and the temperature measured at pickup and at delivery, with the time and who took the reading.
For blood-draw sites and GP practices we schedule fixed rounds at agreed times, with the same record per stop.
In brief
- Classification
- UN3373, P650
- Condition
- agreed: ambient or 2-8 °C
- Measurement
- at pickup and delivery
- Spill procedure
- kit in the car
Storage conditions and pre-analytical requirements are set by your laboratory or pharmacy. We transport within the agreed condition and record what happened. See also quality and compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Is every laboratory sample UN3373?
No. The sender classifies on the basis of a professional judgement: category A, category B (UN3373) or an exempt specimen. Most patient samples sent for testing are UN3373. At pickup we check the marking and the outer packaging; a shipment that is not recognisable or incompletely packed we do not take, and we report it immediately.
Who is responsible for the packaging?
The sender. For UN3373 the laboratory or the collection site packs and marks according to packing instruction P650: three layers, absorbent material for liquids and the marking on the outside. We check what is visible from the outside and transport samples separately from medicines.
Is the temperature recorded during the ride?
We measure at pickup and at delivery, under the condition your laboratory prescribes (ambient or 2-8 °C), and record the values with time and the name of the person who measured. A measurement en route is not part of it. If nothing was measured, the file says so; we never show 'in order' without a measurement.
What do I receive after delivery?
Per ride: the actual pickup and delivery time, who signed and in which role, the measured temperature where agreed and the status per package. After the ride it is in the customer portal and in the ride report you receive by e-mail.
How quickly can a driver be on site?
We agree that per request, based on where we are at that moment; we do not promise a fixed number of minutes for the whole of the Netherlands, because that cannot be true. Our base is Dinteloord. The indicative driving times to Roosendaal, Bergen op Zoom, Breda, Rotterdam and Amsterdam are on the contact page.
Customer portal
What you get back after a ride
After every ride the actual times, the handover, the measured temperature and the status per package are in your customer portal; the ride report comes by e-mail.
Ride number
EXAMPLE-0042
Client: Example Organisation
- Collected
- 19:14
- requested 19:00
- Delivered
- 19:51
- requested before 20:00
- Packages
- 3 of 3
- collected and delivered per package
- Temperature
- 4.6 °C / 5.1 °C
- measured at pickup and delivery, condition 2-8 °C
All data in this example is made up; it shows the view, not a ride that took place.
Other services
More about medical transport
- Medical transport: what it is and how it works
- Transporting medical specimens: the rules
- What is a medical courier and what do they do?
- Laboratory transport: how the chain works
- Temperature logging in medical transport
- UN3373: Biological Substance, Category B
- P650 packaging: three layers and the marks
- ADR and medical specimens: what applies
- Proof of delivery in medical transport
- Which documents go with a medical shipment
Request a ride
You give the pickup and delivery address, the preferred pickup time and the temperature condition. We confirm by e-mail with ride number, expected times and rate before we drive.