Professional Specimen Collector Training Requirements

The DOT specifies professional specimen collector training requirements in the Federal rules and regulations (49 CFR, Part 40). A professional specimen collector is someone who is trained in DOT policies and procedures to collect urine specimens to be used for DOT drug testing programs.

The professional specimen collector plays an important role in the success of the DOT drug testing program, assisting the employee in the drug testing process by providing thorough instructions and direction. The Collector is responsible for collecting the urine sample, performing an initial inspection of the urine sample for signs of tampering or adulteration, as well as providing important documentation to the employee, employer, laboratory and MRO. Therefore, the professional specimen collector must be knowledgeable and proficient in the procedures as outlined in the Federal Regulations, 49 CFR Part 40.

Anyone can become a certified professional specimen collector and no medical background is necessary. The only prerequisite to becoming certified is to undergo training for the purpose of becoming proficient in the DOT rules and regulations (49 CFR, Part 40).

Professional Specimen Collector Training Requirements:

• Basic Information and Qualification Training covering:
  • DOT rules and regulations (49 CFR, Part 40)
  • Proficiency demonstration with 5 error-free mock specimen collections (two uneventful collection scenarios, one insufficient quantity urine sample scenario, one temperature-out-of-range scenario and one scenario in which the employee refuses to sign the CCF and tamper-evident bottle seals). Mock specimen collections are performed in the presence of a qualified collector/instructor.
• Refresher or re-certification training is required every 5 years from the date on which the student completed initial training and covers basic and initial proficiency demonstration
• Error-correction training (required only if a collector commits a fatal-flaw, causing a drug test to be cancelled)

DOT Regulations Training Requirements:

• Students must be able to demonstrate knowledge in current specimen collection procedure guidelines and DOT agency regulations
• Students must know steps necessary to complete a collection correctly and the proper completion and transmission of the CCF
• Students must know how to respond to problem collections such as “shy bladder” and attempts to tamper with a specimen
• Students must know the differences between and how to respond to correctable and fatal-flaws
• Students must understand their responsibility in maintaining the integrity of the collections process and ensuring the security of the specimen

Error-correction training covers the part of the DOT regulations pertaining to the committed fatal flaw and 3 error-free mock collections. One mock collection is an uneventful collection scenario, while 2 mock collection scenarios are related to the fatal-flaw.

AlcoPro offers the industry’s only “Training Success Guarantee”.  We are confident that our Professional Specimen Collector training will prepare students to become collectors.  If one of AlcoPro’s students require error correction training, AlcoPro will do that training at no charge.

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