Drug Testing What to Expect
CHEROKEE COUNTY DRUG LAB URINE COLLECTION PROTOCOL
The following guidelines must be followed when collecting a urine specimen for drugs of abuse testing:
Effective 3/22/2022
- All donors must present picture identification in order to be tested. Acceptable picture identification include: Valid State Identification Card, Valid State Driver’s License, Employment Identification Card, Student Identification Card, Valid Passports or Inmate Identification Card/Release Document with Photo Identification. NO EXPIRED IDENTIFICATION CARDS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
- The Drug Lab requires all participants who appear for drug screens to be appropriately dressed (no tank tops, sleeveless shirts, sunglasses, short shorts, pajamas, or clothing advertising alcohol or drugs; all undergarments must be covered and hats must be removed while inside the building). Participants will conduct themselves appropriately.
- Once donor is verified and presented with their chain of custody document they are to sit in the designated waiting room until testing. Donors are not allowed to leave the designated waiting area without expressed permission from Lab personnel.
- Have donor remove all coats, sweaters, extra shirts, etc. prior to going into the collection area.
- Donor is escorted to the collection area by Cherokee County Drug Laboratory Lab Technician or Staff Member.
- Donor is to write their name on the specimen/urine container.
- Donor is to lower pant/underwear to knees and pull up shirt.
- Donor is to remove the seal from the specimen/urine container.
- Donor must hold the cup with one hand and the other hand must remain in the line of sight of the collector.
- Donor is to void into the specimen/urine container.
- There MUST be space between the cup and the genitalia. There must be a clear view of the urine stream for the Laboratory Technician or Staff Member to see.
- The donor must place the lid on the container and make sure the lid is securely tightened.
- Upon receipt of the specimen/urine container, the Laboratory Technician or Staff Member will check the temperature stripe (acceptable between 90-100 degrees Fahrenheit) and annotate the temperature on the chain of custody.
- The Laboratory Technician will then place the barcode stickers from the chain of custody form on the specimen/urine container. The donor MUST witness the barcode stickers being placed on the specimen/urine container.
- The donor will verify the name on the barcodes for accuracy.
- The Laboratory Technician or Staff Member will inform the donor when they are finished and can leave the testing area.
- The specimen will be placed in the laboratory for screening.
All persons being screened will be given 5 to 7 minutes to produce an initial specimen sample for testing. If the donor is unable to produce an initial sample within the 5 to 7-minute time-frame they will be asked to leave the lab for a minimum of 20 minutes. The donor will have three attempts, each twenty minutes apart OR until 10:00am to provide a suitable (20 ml) specimen for testing.