Receive and register the Hunter reservoir samples

You are a laboratory assistant in Sample Reception and Logistics.

Simulated workplaceEntry missionCAQA Veritas Laboratories

What is going on

The field crew returns at 1:30 pm with 40 drinking water samples from the Hunter Valley Water Alliance reservoir and reticulation run under job CJ-26-0412. Each site has a microbiology bottle with a thiosulfate preservative and a chemistry bottle. Microbiology samples must reach the suite within the holding time and chemistry samples go to the cold room. Ben Castellano expects the cooler temperature recorded, the chain of custody checked line by line and every sample registered with the correct tests before 3:30 pm. The probe thermometer normally used at receipt is under repair, so the spare must be located in the equipment register.

Ben Castellano, Sample Reception Supervisor
Subject: Hunter reservoir run arriving at 1:30 pm

Tariq's crew will be back from the Hunter reservoir run at about 1:30 pm with 40 water samples for chemistry and microbiology under job CJ-26-0412. I need you to receive the batch: check the cooler temperature, go through the chain of custody line by line, register every sample in the sample register with the correct tests and holding times, label the containers and get the microbiology bottles to the suite before their holding time runs out. Record any discrepancy on the form and tell me before you register anything that does not match.

Your brief

Receive the batch correctly, identify and record any discrepancies, register all 40 samples in the sample register with the right tests, holding times and storage locations, deliver microbiology samples to the suite on time and hand over to the sections with a record of transfer.

Work through it

You do not need to do it all. Doing a few of these will show you what the work is like. Your ticks and notes stay on this device.

Read the sample receipt procedure and the chain of custody form instructions, and find a probe thermometer with In service status in the equipment register.
Record the cooler temperature and time of receipt, then check every container against the chain of custody for identifier, preservative, condition and quantity.
Record any discrepancy on the form and report it to Ben Castellano before registering the affected samples, following the discrepancies section of the procedure.
Register each sample in the sample register with client, matrix, tests, date received and holding time expiry, and label the containers with the laboratory numbers.
Deliver the microbiology bottles to the suite within the holding time and obtain an acknowledgement of transfer from the microbiology technician.
Store the chemistry bottles in the cold room, record the storage location and check the cold room temperature log for the day.
Complete a short handover note to Ben Castellano listing samples registered, discrepancies found and anything outstanding.

My notes: what did I enjoy, and what surprised me?

What someone in this role would produce

Completed and signed chain of custody with receipt details
Sample register records for the batch
Transfer acknowledgement from microbiology
Handover note to the supervisor

Printing this is a record of what you explored. It is not a certificate or a qualification.