Chain-of-custody procedures

A protocol must be established and followed for sample preparation, labeling, packaging, shipping, and chain-of-custody procedures. Also, the volume of the samples will be specified by the analytical laboratory depending on the analytical methods to be used and the desired sensitivity. Accordingly, principal attention will be given here to the sampling methods, preparation of the samples for analysis, and QA/QC aspects of both. 

Like physical data, paper data may require a chain of custody procedure to ensure that the actual documents used during the incident are the documents being examined by the team. 

Chain-of-custody procedures for test substances or mixtures -including procedures for receipt, storage and distribution... 

Chain-of-custody procedures for samples - including procedures for storing, packing and shipping... 

Sample custody, more formally referred to as Chain-of-Custody procedures, should be described in an SOP and reviewed. These procedures are necessary to ensure sample integrity and identification from collection through transport to the laboratory, to subsequent analysis and reporting. Various methods can be used from hand-written sheets on which logging-in and out, storage, and responsible personnel are indicated, to computerized bar code setups, to more stringent systems in which sealed vials are used. Whatever system is used, it should be adequate for the operation and specified either in an SOP or a study-specific protocol or work plan. 

As a rule OPCW equipment is used for sample collection and handed to the ISP/facility representative who will perform the sampling activity. If ISP equipment is used for sample collection, the IT will prepare a respective equipment blank sample. Sampling can be observed either directly by an inspector or from an on-site close circuit television system. The sampling operation and subsequent chain of custody procedures must be well established between the ISP and the IT before activities commence. 

Chain-of-custody procedures are followed to guarantee the integrity and confidentiality of sample material during its lifetime from the collection of the sample up to its destruction. 

In addition to sampling procedures, sampling bias and sampling errors are introduced, leading to some guidance on sample handling, shipping, and chain-of-custody procedures. 

Ensuring that specimens, which can be used as evidence in a criminal investigation, are handled properly and chain-of-custody procedures are followed ... 

Staff usually the chain of custody for a sample starts with the receipt of the sample in the laboratory. Once the laboratory acquires the sample, however, it is the laboratory s responsibility to have a system for unique identification of each sample, sample handling, storage and retention procedures, as well as safe disposal procedures. Identification of the population from which the sample is to be obtained, selection and withdrawal of valid gross samples of this population, and reduction of each gross sample to a laboratory sample suitable for the analytical technique to be used are some of the key steps to be considered in obtaining a representative sample for analysis [2]. Equally important is documented chain of custody procedures to authenticate and maintain the sample integrity. Several ASTM standards deal with sampling aspects for the analysis of petroleum products and lubricants ... 

Chain-of-custody Procedures and associated documents designed to trace the custody of a sample from the point of origin to final disposition, with the intent of legally demonstrating that custody remained intact and that tampering or substitutions were precluded. 

Laboratory analysis As required by FMCSA regulations, only a laboratory certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHSS) to perform urinalysis for the presence of controlled substances will be retained by The Company. The laboratory will be required to maintain strict compliance with federally approved chain-of-custody procedures, quality control, maintenance, and scientific analytical methodologies. 

Chain of custody procedures must assure that ... 

Incident investigation techniques Chain of custody procedures... 

Expenses for testing, including travel costs, should be paid by the company. All documents must be managed through a Chain of Custody procedure. 

To ensure that the specimen is properly monitored at all times, a strict chain-of-custody procedure should be followed. This process should include complete documentation of collection, transportation, processing, testing, and reporting of the... 

The primary mission of the Decontamination Element is to turn chemical/biological victims into patients through mass decontamination procedures by establishing a site capable of providing initial and sustained operational decontamination of Force personnel (rescue workers), ambulatory, and non-ambulatory patients. The Decontamination Element also handles decontamination of CBIRF members, attachments, vehicles, and equipment that have entered the incident site controls access into and out of the incident site handles processing of surety material and evidence while maintaining chain of custody through the site and handles limited area decontamination of the incident site. 

Maintaining a chain-of-custody is necessary to ensure proper identification and tracking of each propellant sample from its collection to its analysis. The general procedure is to label samples, record in the sample... 

Second, in terms of handling, the regulations state that procedures must be established to ensure that 1) there is proper storage, 2) contamination or deterioration is avoided during handling, 3) proper identification is maintained throughout the study, and 4) the receipt and distribution is documented for each batch. The concept of the chain-of-custody documentation is thus covered in the regulations. 

Documenting of standard operating procedures for sampling, chain of custody, QA/QC, survey, logging, and data verification. 

Have good procedures for managing the handling and chain of custody of all evidence. 

Traditionally, the education that chemists and chemistry laboratory technicians receive in colleges and universities does not prepare them adequately for some important aspects of the real world of work in their chosen field. Today s industrial laboratory analyst is deeply involved with such job issues as quality control, quality assurance, ISO 9000, standard operating procedures, calibration, standard reference materials, statistical control, control charts, proficiency testing, validation, system suitability, chain of custody, good laboratory practices, protocol, and audits. Yet, most of these terms are foreign to the college graduate and the new employee. 

Documented testing procedures make the work in the laboratory controlled chemicals, reagents, samples, subsamples, analyses, and analysis results are traceable (chain-of-custody)... 

Chain-of-custody paperwork should be completed and copies retained. A chain of custody is a set of procedures used to provide an accurate written record that can be used to trace the possession of a sample from the moment of its collection through its introduction into a data set. Sample identity is maintained by proper labelling. Each person involved in the chain of possession must sign a chain-of-custody form when sample custody is relinquished or received. 

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