Chain-of-Custody Requirements. The chain-of-custody (COC) record is used as physical evidence of sample custody and control. This record system provides the means to identify, track, and monitor each individual sample from the point of collection through final data reporting. A complete COC record is required to accompany each shipment of samples. COC procedures will follow the requirements as stated in Site-specific SOP EPA-XXXXX-2012-06, Sample Custody (see Appendix B). The field sample coordinator will follow COC procedures to ensure proper sample custody between acceptance of the sample from the field teams to delivery or shipment to the laboratory. A member of the sample coordination staff will manually enter sample information from the hard copy FSDS into the local Scribe field project database using a series of standardized data entry forms developed in Microsoft Access by ESAT, referred to as the sample Data Entry Tool, or the “DE Tool”. The DE Tool has a variety of built-in QC functions that improve accuracy of data entry and help maintain data integrity. After the data entry is checked against the hard copy FSDSs (by a different sample coordination staff member than completed the original data entry), the DE Tool is used to prepare an electronic COC. A three-page carbon copy COC will be generated from the electronic COC. The field sample coordinator will retain one hard copy of the COC for the project file; the other two hard copies of the COC will accompany the sample shipment. The field sample coordinator will note the analytical priority level for the samples (based on consultation with the LC) at the top of the COC. A copy of the investigation-specific Analytical Requirements Summary Sheet (see Appendix D) will also accompany each COC. If any errors are found on a COC after shipment, the hard copy of the COC retained by the field sample coordinator will be corrected with a single strikeout, initial, and date. A copy of the corrected COC will be provided to the LC for distribution to the appropriate laboratory. It is the responsibility of the field data manager to make any corrections to the local Scribe field project database. Sample and COC information will be published to Xxxxxx.XXX regularly from the local Scribe field project database by the field data manager (see Section B10.1 for additional details).
