CSC Chain of Custody & Documentation 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: After sealing the specimen bag, which copies of the CCF are placed inside the bag with the specimen for transport to the laboratory?
- Copies 1 and 2 (Correct answer)
- Copies 3 and 4
- Copies 4 and 5
- Copies 2 and 5
Correct answer: Copies 1 and 2
Copies 1 and 2 of the CCF accompany the specimen to the laboratory inside the sealed shipping bag.
Question 2: What must be documented when a person other than the original collector transfers custody of a specimen during transport?
- Nothing additional is required
- The transferring party signs and dates the chain of custody portion of the CCF (Correct answer)
- A new CCF must be completed
- The MRO must authorize the transfer in writing
Correct answer: The transferring party signs and dates the chain of custody portion of the CCF
Each custody transfer must be documented with the name, signature, and date/time of every individual who takes possession of the specimen.
Question 3: If a shipping container arrives at the laboratory visibly damaged or tampered with, what is the lab's required action?
- Accept and test the specimen, noting the damage in lab records
- Reject the specimen and notify the collector to recollect
- Report the damage and use professional judgment to either test or reject (Correct answer)
- Forward the specimen to a secondary laboratory
Correct answer: Report the damage and use professional judgment to either test or reject
The laboratory must document the damage, use professional judgment, and may report the discrepancy to the MRO rather than automatically rejecting.
Question 4: How long must a collection site retain its copy of the federal CCF after a completed collection?
- 30 days
- 6 months
- 2 years (Correct answer)
- 5 years
Correct answer: 2 years
Collectors and employers must retain copies of the CCF for a minimum of 2 years under DOT regulations.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of the tamper-evident seals placed over the specimen bottle caps?
- To preserve specimen temperature during transport
- To document specimen integrity and detect unauthorized access (Correct answer)
- To affix the Specimen ID label to the bottle
- To satisfy chain of custody shipping weight requirements
Correct answer: To document specimen integrity and detect unauthorized access
Tamper-evident seals provide visible evidence if a specimen bottle has been opened or tampered with after it left the donor's presence.
Question 6: When a split (A/B) specimen is collected and shipped, how must the two bottles be packaged?
- In separate bags sent to different laboratories
- Together in the same sealed specimen pouch inside the shipping container (Correct answer)
- The A bottle is shipped immediately; the B bottle is held at the collection site
- The B bottle is held by the employer until the A bottle result is reported
Correct answer: Together in the same sealed specimen pouch inside the shipping container
Both the primary (A) and split (B) specimen bottles are sealed in the same specimen pouch and shipped together to the laboratory.
Question 7: Which document must accompany the specimen from the collection site to the laboratory to establish an unbroken chain of custody?
- A signed employer authorization letter
- The completed federal CCF (Copies 1 and 2) (Correct answer)
- The donor's government-issued ID photocopy
- A laboratory requisition form signed by the MRO
Correct answer: The completed federal CCF (Copies 1 and 2)
Copies 1 and 2 of the completed CCF are the legal chain-of-custody documents that must travel with the specimen to the lab.
CSC Chain of Custody & Documentation 3
After sealing the specimen bag, which copies of the CCF are placed inside the bag with the specimen for transport to the laboratory?