Section 9140.20  Collection of Blood

The following procedures shall be used to obtain a blood sample from an employee to determine alcohol concentration and the presence of drugs or intoxicating compounds:

a)         Collector of a Blood Specimen.  All blood specimens shall be collected by a licensed physician, advanced practice nurse, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, phlebotomist, or certified paramedic.

b)         Collection Procedures.  A blood specimen shall be collected using the following procedure:

1)         The testing process shall start without undue delay. If the employee needs medical attention, this treatment shall not be delayed to collect a specimen.

2)         The collector shall explain the basic collection procedure to the employee.

3)         The blood specimen shall be collected using aseptic venipuncture technique.

4)         The venipuncture site shall be cleansed with an antiseptic substance that does not contain ethanol prior to collection. 

5)         A sufficient amount of blood shall be collected to permit split testing.

6)         Blood specimens shall be collected in a container or tube containing an anticoagulant and a preservative of sodium fluoride.

7)         Immediately after collection, the collector shall rock the container or tube gently to mix the anticoagulant and preservative substance with the blood.

c)         Collection Materials.  A blood specimen shall be collected in tubes or containers with a visible tamper-evident system or seals that adequately protect again sample contamination.

d)         Completion of Collection Process. To complete the collection process, the collector shall complete the following procedure:

1)         The collector shall place the specimen in a shipping container designed to minimize the possibility of damage during shipment and seal the shipping container as appropriate.

2)         The collector shall complete all applicable portions of the Chain of Custody Form as specified in Section 9140.10.

3)         The collector shall ensure that each specimen collected is shipped to a laboratory as quickly as possible, but no later than 24 hours after collection or during the next business day after collection.