CSC CSC Specimen Handling & Transportation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the primary purpose of placing a urine specimen in a biohazard bag before transport?
- To keep the specimen warm
- To contain leaks and protect handlers from biological hazards (Correct answer)
- To prevent evaporation
- To satisfy aesthetic packaging requirements
Correct answer: To contain leaks and protect handlers from biological hazards
Biohazard bags provide a secondary containment barrier that protects handlers from accidental exposure to potentially infectious material.
Question 2: When transporting frozen specimens with dry ice, which precaution must be followed?
- Place dry ice directly on specimen tubes
- Ensure adequate ventilation to prevent CO2 buildup (Correct answer)
- Wrap specimens in aluminum foil only
- Avoid using insulated containers
Correct answer: Ensure adequate ventilation to prevent CO2 buildup
Dry ice releases CO2 gas, which can displace oxygen in enclosed spaces and create a hazard, so ventilation is critical.
Question 3: What should a laboratory do if a shipped specimen arrives with a damaged outer container?
- Test it immediately to salvage results
- Discard without documentation
- Document the damage, quarantine the specimen, and notify the sender (Correct answer)
- Re-package and re-label
Correct answer: Document the damage, quarantine the specimen, and notify the sender
Damaged packaging may compromise specimen integrity and chain of custody, requiring documentation and notification per protocol.
Question 4: Which federal regulation governs the transport of diagnostic biological specimens in the US?
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations only
- DOT 49 CFR Part 173 (Correct answer)
- CDC Guideline 2019
Correct answer: DOT 49 CFR Part 173
DOT 49 CFR Part 173 sets requirements for packaging and transporting biological substances, including diagnostic specimens.
Question 5: How should blood collection tubes containing light-sensitive analytes be protected during transport?
- Stored in clear tubes to monitor color change
- Wrapped in aluminum foil or placed in amber containers (Correct answer)
- Exposed to fluorescent light to activate preservatives
- Kept at -80°C only
Correct answer: Wrapped in aluminum foil or placed in amber containers
Light-sensitive specimens such as bilirubin or certain vitamins must be shielded from light to prevent photodegradation.
Question 6: Why is it critical to never pool urine specimens from multiple donors into a single container?
- It is only prohibited for cost reasons
- Pooling causes test equipment to malfunction
- It destroys chain of custody and invalidates individual results (Correct answer)
- It is allowed if properly labeled
Correct answer: It destroys chain of custody and invalidates individual results
Pooling specimens mixes samples from different donors, making it impossible to attribute results to any individual and breaking chain of custody.
CSC CSC Specimen Handling & Transportation 2
What is the primary purpose of placing a urine specimen in a biohazard bag before transport?