Dot Drug And Alcohol Testing

What are DOT Violations for Alcohol Testing?Companies required to perform DOT alcohol testing on their safety-sensitive employees must have a substance abuse policy and that substance abuse policy must list, at a minimum, the DOT violations for alcohol testing. But what are the minimum DOT violations for alcohol testing?The DOT regulations apply to employees who perform safety sensitive duties where the performance and safety of employees on the job could be affected by alcohol use. Because it is not illegal to use alcohol while not on the job, the alcohol prohibitions do not apply to the off-duty use of alcohol after work, on weekends, or vacation. The prohibitions specifically apply to alcohol use by the employee as it relates to performing their job duties. Agency Specific RegulationsThe prohibited conduct for alcohol use is found in the regulations for each DOT agency. The, and alcohol use violations are almost identical for each agency. The agency regulations differ slightly, however, when it comes to the consequences of an alcohol level of.020 –.039.

• Dot Drug And Alcohol Testing Policy Sample

Violation and Prohibited Conduct: Alcohol Level of.020 and.04The regulations make a distinction between a rule violation and prohibited conduct. An alcohol level of.040 or greater is a rule violation for every DOT agency. A positive confirmation test of.040 or greater requires the employee to be removed from safety-sensitive duties, undergo an evaluation and treatment from a Substance Abuse Professional, pass a return-to-duty test, and pass a series of follow-up tests upon returning to the workplace.A positive confirmation test of.020 to.039 is called “prohibited conduct” but is not technically a rule violation. The Employer is still required to remove the employee from their safety-sensitive duties for a period of time as dictated by the regulations for that DOT agency (8 hours for agencies other than FMCSA, which requires a 24 hour waiting period). No other consequence is required by DOT, although a company policy may have additional consequences. Using Alcohol On or Before the JobEmployees may not use alcohol while on the job. The prohibition of alcohol use on the job includes medications that might contain alcohol, even if prescribed by a physician.

For all agencies other than the FAA, employees may not use alcohol for a four hour period prior to reporting to duty. FAA regulations require an eight hour period of no drinking prior to working.

Post-Accident TestingEmployees may not use alcohol within eight hours after an accident, or until they have been tested for alcohol. This rule allows the company to determine if the employee was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

If an employee is allowed to drink alcohol after an accident there is no certain way to establish if the employee was intoxicated at the time of the accident. Refusing the TestAnother obvious prohibition or DOT rule violation deals with an employee who refuses to take an alcohol test. As you recall from your a refusal to submit to an alcohol test is considered a Refusal to Test, the consequences of which are the same as a positive alcohol confirmation test of.040 or greater.It is important to note that a company’s policy must include the DOT prohibitions and at the very least the minimum consequences for violating any of the rules that we just listed. These minimum consequences apply only if the company chooses to put the employee back to work. A company’s substance abuse policy may choose to invoke more stringent consequences such as job termination. The FMCSA regulations state that drivers must not drink 8 hours before going on duty. If your screening test result was.020 or greater, the DOT requires a second test, also called a confirmation test, be performed following a:15 min wait period.

The:15 wait period rules out the possibility that residual mouth alcohol caused by Listerine or other alcohol based products was not a factor. After:15 the mouth alcohol caused by Listerine would have gone away. If your confirmation test result was.020 or greater, the test is considered to be positive and is a result of alcohol being in your system. As to the consequences of testing positive for alcoholthat is up to your employers and their drug and alcohol policies. At the very least and if your confirmation test was.043, then the DOT requires your employer to refer you for substance abuse counseling and you may be removed from your safety sensitive duties for a period of time until the counselor clears you to resume your work.

FMCSA Drug And Alcohol Testing For Commercial TruckersNew Era Drug Testing proudly works with more than 10,000 DOT-approved FMCSA drug testing locations across the United States in order to help keep the public roads safe, making us a top choice for drug and alcohol testing for commercial truck drivers. This includes any person or company who manages employees operating a commercial motor vehicle that:. Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more. Is designed to transport 16 occupants or more. Is used in the transport of hazardous materialsOur FMCSA drug and alcohol testing services include drug testing programs, compliance testing, training resources for staff, background screenings, and more. Is highly enforced with commercial truck drivers.

With thousands of accidents per year across the United States that are caused by commercial truckers who are intoxicated, it’s absolutely critical to help prevent these accidents by regularly administering truck driver drug testing. Truck companies and owner-operators must follow the FMCSA drug testing regulations that have been put into place by the DOT.

Staying compliant with these rules isn’t just good practice—it’s the law. When a driver fails their DOT compliance drug test, they are penalized.At New Era Drug Testing, we know the in’s and out’s of the commercial trucking industry regulations. Our goal is to help keep everyone safe and to help commercial truck drivers do their best.

Truck Drivers And Owner Operators ComplianceEvery commercial trucking company, including self-owned and operated commercial truck drivers, are required by law to administer truck driver drug testing as well as alcohol testing. DOT regulations are expected to be strictly followed, and if they aren’t, truck drivers can be permanently removed from their jobs.Pre-employment drug testing, random drug testing, and post-accident drug testing all must be done for commercial truck companies, as well as reasonable suspicion drug testing, return-to-duty testing, and follow-up testing. Self-owned and operated truckers also must have an official drug-free policy just as a trucking company needs to, as well as a designated person who oversees the policy.It’s important for commercial trucking companies to 100% obey DOT FMCSA drug testing and alcohol regulations in order to keep their drivers and the public safe—as well as their own reputation.

Dot Drug And Alcohol Testing Policy Sample

New Era provides everything a company or an owner operator will need in order to stay DOT compliant.