Compliance

What we do to stay compliant, in plain language

Your compliance officer will ask about all of this before the first run. Here it is in advance. If you need documentation, training certificates, or our exposure control plan, ask and we send it.

HIPAA

Every driver and dispatcher completes HIPAA privacy and security training before handling a single item, with an annual refresher and a signed acknowledgment on file.
We sign a Business Associate Agreement with every client whose items or paperwork contain protected health information. Yours or ours.
Manifests show the minimum necessary: a container ID, a pickup site, a destination. Patient names appear only where the receiving facility requires them on the outer label.
Delivery records and custody logs are stored encrypted, accessible only to your account and our dispatch and compliance staff, and retained for six years.

OSHA bloodborne pathogen training

Drivers complete OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 bloodborne pathogen training before their first specimen run, refreshed every twelve months.
Every vehicle carries a spill kit with absorbent, disinfectant, gloves, and a sharps container. Drivers are trained on the exposure control plan and post-exposure reporting.
Drivers do not open primary containers, repackage specimens, or handle sharps. If packaging is compromised at pickup, the driver photographs it, refuses it, and calls dispatch.
Hepatitis B vaccination is offered to every driver at hire, at no cost, per the standard.

Chain of custody

Each container or sealed tote is scanned at pickup. The releasing staff member signs on the device. Time and GPS position are recorded automatically.
At delivery the receiving person signs, the scan closes the record, and proof of delivery emails to your account contacts within minutes.
For forensic, legal, or clinical-trial specimens we add tamper-evident seals with logged serial numbers and a paper custody form that travels with the item.
Custody records are exportable per run, per day, or per account for audits and CAP or CLIA inspections.

Temperature logging

Refrigerated items ride in validated insulated coolers with conditioned gel packs qualified to hold 2 to 8 °C for the route duration. Frozen items ride on dry ice in rated shippers.
Ambient items ride in insulated carriers so a vehicle interior in July or January never sets the temperature.
Drivers read and log the carrier temperature at pickup and at delivery. Continuous data loggers are available for any account that requires a full trace.
An out-of-range reading at delivery stops the handoff. The driver calls dispatch, dispatch calls your contact, and the receiving site decides whether to accept. You get an incident report the same day.

Background-checked drivers

Criminal background check at the county and national level, sex offender registry check, and a motor vehicle record review before any driver takes a run. All three are rechecked every year.
Drivers carry company photo ID and wear it visibly. Facilities can request our current driver roster to keep at the security desk.
Pre-employment and random drug screening. A DUI or reckless driving conviction is disqualifying.
Vehicles are inspected monthly for cleanliness, containment supplies, and mechanical condition. Personal vehicles used on routes meet the same standard.

Packaging and transport standards

Specimens must arrive at pickup in triple packaging per DOT 49 CFR 173.199 and IATA Packing Instruction 650 for Category B biological substances. We supply outer carriers and biohazard bags at no charge.
Controlled substances travel in a locked bag, never left in an unattended vehicle, with a paper custody form and end-of-run count reconciliation.
Sterile surgical trays ride flat, sealed, and separate from any soiled returns.
Commercial auto, general liability, and cargo insurance are carried at all times. Certificates issued on request, with your facility as additional insured if needed.

Compliance questions

Will you sign a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement?

Yes. We sign BAAs as standard practice for any client who handles protected health information. Send us yours or use our template.

How are specimens packaged for transport?

Triple packaging per DOT and IATA guidance for Category B biological substances: leak-proof primary container, leak-proof secondary with absorbent, and a rigid outer container. We accept properly packaged specimens from your staff and can supply outer carriers.

What happens if a cooler is out of range at delivery?

The driver notes it on the delivery record, photographs the reading, and calls dispatch before handoff. The receiving site decides whether to accept. You get the incident report the same day.

Do you carry insurance?

Commercial auto, general liability, and cargo coverage. Certificates of insurance are issued on request, and we can name your facility as additional insured.

Are drivers employees or contractors?

A mix. Both go through the same background check, training, and vehicle inspection. Our compliance requirements do not change based on employment status.

Services

Service areas

Dispatch, 24 hours

Need our documentation?

BAA template, training certificates, exposure control plan, certificate of insurance. Ask through the form and we send the packet the same business day.

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