Implementation Guidelines - Federal Transit Administration - U.S. ...

temperature range (90.0 to 100.0
F). The collector does not take the
employee’s body temperature, but
immediately requires another
collection under direct observation.
The collector observes conduct or
materials that clearly indicates an
attempt to substitute or adulterate the
sample (e.g., substitutes urine in
plain view, blue dye in specimen
presented, etc.).
In the following circumstances the MRO
will direct the employer to have the
employee immediately retested under direct
observation. The employer is required to
comply with the MRO’s request.
The laboratory reported to the MRO
that a specimen was invalid, and the
MRO determined that there was not
an adequate medical explanation for
the result; or
The MRO had to cancel a test when
the primary specimen was verified as
positive, adulterated, or substituted
because the split specimen was
unavailable for testing (i.e., the split
specimen leaked, was lost, or
inadvertently discarded).
In the following circumstance, the
employer must authorize an observed
collection:
The employee has previously been
determined to have used a controlled
substance without medical
authorization and the particular test
is being conducted under the FTA
regulation as a return-to-duty or
follow-up test.
Previously, employers were allowed to
conduct observed collections for tests
following a previous dilute specimen. As of
August 1, 2001, this practice was prohibited.
Observed collections must be performed
with no advance notice to the employee.
The direct observation must be conducted by
a person of the same gender as the employee
being tested. The same gender requirement
also applies to medical professionals who
are observers. The observer can be a
different person from the collector and is not
required to have any special training or
certifications. The observer must follow the
verbal instructions of the collector. The
reason for the direct observation must be
explained to the employee. The observer
must directly watch the urine stream go
from the employee’s body to the collection
container.
Dilute Specimens. A dilute specimen is
a specimen with creatinine and specific
gravity values that are lower than expected
for human urine. If the test is reported as a
dilute positive, the test should be treated as a
verified positive test result. If the test is
reported as a negative dilute, the employer
may, but is not required to direct the
employee to take another test. The retest
must not be conducted under direct
observation. Whatever the employer’s
policy in this regard, all employees must be
treated the same for this purpose and must
be informed in advance of the retest policy.
If the employer requires a retest following a
negative dilute test result, the retest must be
conducted with no advance notice. The
result of the second test becomes the test of
record and there is no opportunity for a third
test, even if the second is also dilute.
Section 3. LABORATORY
TESTING
The scientific techniques used in drug
testing are virtually error-free when properly
applied. The combination of immunoassay
screening with confirmation by gas
chromatography/mass spectrometry
(GC/MS) makes the possibility of error
Chapter 7. Drug Testing Procedures 7-13 August 2002