The Drug Test Collector plays a critical role in the workplace drug screening process. Along with the employer, the testing facility and the Medical Review Officer (MRO), the collector is an essential part of a system developed to ensure drug-free workplaces for the sake of public safety.
As the collector, you are the only individual in the drug-testing process who has direct, face-to-face contact with the employee. You ensure the integrity of the urine specimen and collection process and begin the chain of custody that includes the laboratory; the MRO; the employer; and, possibly, the courts.
This training is a professional-level course that provides the knowledge and skills to qualify Drug Test Collectors to perform U.S. Department of Transportation-regulated drug tests and non-regulated tests. Refresher training to maintain DOT qualification is required every 5 years.
In addition, course participants are eligible for NDASA’s Certified Professional Collector (CPC) designation. This designation, which requires successful completion of an annual CPC examination, confirms that the collector is committed to the highest standards in the drug and alcohol testing industry.
The Course
This professional-level course meets the regulatory standards of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) rule 49 CFR Part 40 and provides a solid foundation for a wide range of testing programs.
| Course Components | Deliverables | Applicability |
|---|---|---|
| Library of terms & resources | Universal skills set | Multiple industries |
| Lessons | DOT Qualification | Public sector |
| Short quizzes & final examination | Professional Certification | Private sector |
| Mock collections | Regulated by local, state and federal authorities | |
| Signature |
How to Take the Course
The Drug Test Collector Training involves multiple parts that need to be completed in a specific order to achieve certification.
1. Before starting the training, the collector must:
- review 49 CFR Part 40 and be familiar with the regulatory language;
- review the DOT Urine Specimen Collection Guidelines;
- review “Instructions for Completing the Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form for Urine Specimen Collection”
- watch DOT’s 10 Steps to Collection Site Security and Integrity video.
- and download the sample Custody and Control Form. This form guides the entire drug-collection process. Review the document and have it at hand through the entire course. (All required materials are also available in the Reference Library.) NOTE: The 2017 version of the CCF is no longer current. If you intent to use it, you must attach a Memorandum for Record (MFR).
2. Take the course Pre-Test to show familiarity with the subject matter based on a review of the materials provided.
3. Complete the lessons of the training along with the required short quizzes, scores of 80% or higher are required to proceed. (Students can retake quizzes up to three times.)
4. Take the final exam. A score of at least 90 percent is required.
5. When you pass the online portion of this training, continue to the Next Steps lesson for instructions on how to set up five mock collections with a live examiner. These must be scheduled within 30 days of course completion and are required for qualification and certification.
6. Once the mock collections are completed without error, you will be qualified and can perform both federally regulated and non-regulated drug test collections.
7. To obtain the NDASA CPC designation, qualified collectors are asked to sign an agreement promising to adhere to the standards set in the training. The course administrator will then issue a certification form documenting that the collector is both a USDOT Qualified and a CPC. Contact samanthabrown@ndasa.com with questions.
Click on the lessons below to take the course.
