Arrange for a DOT Drug Testing Program and Be a Responsible Employer

Posted by GeorgeVelvet on August 18th, 2015

Almost 7.4 million employees are employed in safety-sensitive industries who are often subjected to drug testing. The DOT workers are mostly employed in sectors like Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and much more.  If you are an employer, then you are responsible to conduct drug test of your employees. In that case you will require to implement DOT drug testing program for evaluation as well as treatment. The DOT employers are liable to follow DOT regulations and 49 CFR Part 40.

The random drug testing for DOT employees is considered as the best tool for deterring drug usage within the workplace. It reduces the employer’s liability, prevents injuries and saves so many lives. Also, it enables the employers to figure out the ones who use illegal substances and offer treatment programs to them. Besides, this test makes the employees aware about using drugs or alcohol within the work environment.

There are some dedicated DOT agencies that decides how frequent the employees needs to be tested. In case the agency mandates that 50% DOT employees will be tested, then 50 out of 100 employees will be chosen randomly for testing. In order make sure that the workers are actually selected randomly, an agency or a drug testing consortium uses a computer-based number generator, which traces and keeps record of specific employee.

On the other hand, in a railroad industry, the employees are chosen by the train number. A specific train number is picked and the employees engaged in that train are generally selected for the test.

Mostly employees are tested four times every year and sometimes even more than that. The workers are not informed earlier as the test is random. And this is why it keeps up the surprise element. The employees should report to the place of testing as soon as they are informed about their selection. Until the test is completed there isn’t much work to do.

Being an employer it is your duty to ensure the safety and security of your employees and a DOT drug testing program aims at it. When you comply with different testing standards set by DOT, you actually take your first step in preserving the safety of those people who depend on your employees in an expectation to receive safe transfer services.

DOT rules and regulations for drugs and alcohol testing are quite specific. When it comes to alcohol testing breath test device is used for determination of alcohol level in the DOT employees’ body. On the other hand, the drug test is carried out after collecting biological specimen of the person, which includes breath, oral fluid, hair or blood. This is done to determine whether any drug is present in the body or not.

There are many agencies or consortiums today that are responsible to monitor the different phases of testing, so that there is no error in the report. Besides, they have control systems that ensure timely reporting. You will find such a company if you look around carefully.

Are you willing to conduct DOT drug testing program? Contact us as we are a reputed drug testing consortium.