The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a drug and alcohol testing program to make sure that the company provides a safe and healthy environment for both employees and those they serve. The administration follows The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) drug and alcohol testing policy. Both agencies work together to define and implement the coverage of the substance abuse program.
Here are the most common questions and answers about DOT’s drug and alcohol testing rules for FAA:
Who are covered by the DOT – FAA drug and alcohol testing rules?
According to DOT, all employees who perform safety-sensitive functions are subject for employee drug testing. These are:
- Flight attendants
- Flight crewmembers
- Flight instruction
- Aircraft dispatchers
- Ground security
- Air traffic control
- Aviation screening
- Aircraft maintenance and preventive maintenance
When are covered employees tested?
As per DOT, covered employees are tested during pre-employment and during random testing. Employees are also subject to testing during circumstances like post-accident, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up testing.
What are drug and alcohol prohibitions as per DOT testing rules?
DOT drug testing rules require FAA employers to test their employees for the following drugs: Marijuana, Opiates, PCP, Cocaine, and Amphetamines.
For DOT alcohol screening, the prohibited alcohol concentration for FAA employees is 0.04% or greater. Employees who are caught violating these prohibitions must be immediately removed from performing safety-sensitive functions until management decides on their applicable consequences.
Who performs the drug and alcohol testing procedures?
For drug testing, a DOT urinalysis procedure must be followed. Only certified collectors are allowed to perform the collection of urine samples from employees. They are trained to perform the testing procedure that meets DOT’s drug testing requirements, making sure that all samples reach the laboratory without signs of tampering.
For DOT alcohol screening, only a screening test technician (STT) and breath alcohol technician (BAT) are allowed to perform the alcohol test. DOT requires 2 alcohol tests, a screening and confirmation test. STTs are only allowed to perform screening tests, while BATs are allowed to perform both tests. They are trained to guarantee accurate test results.
For more information on DOT-FAA testing rules, follow this link:
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Related posts:
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy
- The Drug and Alcohol Prevention Program of the Federal Transit Administration
- The Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- Drug-Free Workplace Program of the National Aeronautics Space Administration
- Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of the United States Coast Guard
Tags: alcohol testing procedures, Alcohol Testing Rules, DOT alcohol test, DOT drug test, DOT drug testing rules, employee drug testing, FAA, Federal Aviation Administration