scope:

The overall objective of this document is to establish standards for two components essential to successful automated specimen handling: the specimen container and specimen carrier. The first goal is to establish standard dimensions for specimen collection containers, so use and processing of the specimen can be optimized by laboratory automation systems. The second goal is to determine standard carrier attributes for both single-container and multiple-container carriers to facilitate optimized, automated specimen handling.

Many other kinds of containers are utilized in laboratory practice, including urine collection bottles or blood culture bottles. These containers are not usually placed directly onto laboratory transport systems, and are therefore outside the scope of this effort. Specimens (such as those used for drug-abuse testing), collected in larger containers may be transferred to smaller containers for use on the laboratory automation system (LAS).

This standard fits into the series of interrelated NCCLS automation standards (AUTO2-Laboratory Automation: Bar Codes for Specimen Container Identification; AUTO3-Laboratory Automation: Communications with Automated Clinical Laboratory Systems, Instruments, Devices, and Information Systems; AUTO4-Laboratory Automation: Systems Operational Requirements, Characteristics, and Information Elements; and AUTO5-Laboratory Automation: Electromechanical Interfaces).