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Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of the United States Coast Guard

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

The Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is a way to maintain a drug-free and safe working environment. It ensures that all marine personnel are performing their duties at their best, helping all passengers and cargo in the U.S. waterways to travel safely. The USCG complies with the Department of Transportation’s drug and alcohol testing program. The two agencies work together to help fight substance abuse in the workplace.

Here are important things to know about the DOT-USCG Drug and Alcohol Testing Program:

Who are subject to drug and alcohol testing?

According to USCG, all employees who are under the following duties are covered by the program:

Those on board a vessel working under the authority of a merchant mariner’s document or license of registry.
Employed or engaged on board a U.S. owned vessel and the vessel is employed, engaged, or operated by someone with a license, merchant mariner’s document, or certificate of registry.

Those who fall under these categories are called crewmembers and they are all subject to drug and alcohol testing.

When are crewmembers tested for prohibited substances?

According to DOT and USCG, crewmembers are subject to drug and alcohol testing, or more known as chemical testing, during pre-employment, random, periodic, reasonable suspicion, post serious marine incident (SMI), and return-to-duty (with follow-up tests).

What are the substance prohibitions of the USCG?

According to USCG, it is prohibited to use and possess illegal substances at all times; the following drugs are tested for during chemical testing: marijuana, cocaine, PCP, amphetamines, and opiates. On alcohol use, consumption of the substance 4 hours before and during duty is prohibited. In case of reasonable suspicion, a crewmember must undergo a chemical testing.

How are crewmembers tested for drugs and alcohol?

The USCG uses chemical testing when determining drug and alcohol use. It is a scientific test that analyzes blood, urine, breath, tissue, and bodily fluids to trace illegal drugs and alcohol in the body. A urine sample is needed, following the DOT urinalysis where the sample is split into two containers. One sample for the initial testing, the “split” is for a crewmember’s right to get a second opinion in case the first sample was tested positive.

The USCG doesn’t use a DOT alcohol screening test. The chemical testing already provides alcohol concentration from the specimen. However, all procedures are based on DOT regulations on collection and handling of specimens. Only authorized collectors are allowed to administer chemical testing.

What happens to crewmembers that violate the DOT-USCG prohibitions?

Those who are tested positive for prohibited substances are immediately removed from their duties. They have to talk to a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) before they can go back to work. The SAP will evaluate and determine if a crewmember is healthy enough to go back to work. As part of DOT’s drug and alcohol program, a crewmember caught positive can only return to duty after completion of a rehabilitation program set by the USCG.

For more information on the DOT-USCG drug and alcohol testing program, follow the link below:

http://www.dot.gov/odapc/testingpubs/Marine_Employers_Drug_Testing_Guide_2005.pdf

Source:

http://www.dot.gov/odapc/testingpubs/Marine_Employers_Drug_Testing_Guide_2005.pdf

Tags: alcohol testing program, coast guard Testing Program, DOT-USCG alcohol test, DOT-USCG Drug test, drug testing program
Posted in Government Drug Testing | No Comments »

Drug-Free Workplace Program of the National Aeronautics Space Administration

Friday, March 2nd, 2012

It is the country’s goal to fight substance abuse because of the harmful effects it can do to our mind, body, and the environment. Because it is not easy to fight drug use, the government is reaching out through different agencies in the country to promote a drug-free workplace for everyone. The National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) is one of the Federal agencies in the country that implements a drug-free workplace program. It is a drug testing program to make sure that all employees are healthy to help achieve a safe and productive workplace.

Here are some of the basic questions and answers about NASA’s drug-free workplace program:

Who are covered by the NASA drug-free workplace program?

To ensure the welfare and security of the country, it is expected from all employees to perform at their best without being impaired by any prohibited substances. All NASA employees are then subject to drug testing including the following:

Those on Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments to NASA.
Those on an Excepted Service Position
Those assigned to NASA from another Federal agency.
Appointed experts and consultants.
Those under the NASA testing designated positions (TDP) (tested at random at least 4 times a year)

Under which circumstances are covered employees tested for substance use?

According to the NASA drug-free workplace program, employee testing is conducted under the following circumstances:

Pre-employment
Random testing (at least 4 times a year)
Reasonable suspicion
Unsafe practice or accident testing
Voluntary
Follow-up

What are the drug prohibitions?

The NASA drug-free workplace program tests for the following illegal drugs:

Cocaine
Marijuana
Opiates
PCP
Amphetamines

All samples are tested for the following drugs and their concentration levels to determine the frequency of use.

What is the drug testing procedure followed by NASA?

The NASA drug-free workplace program’s testing procedure uses a scientific and technical approach in testing samples. A urine sample is collected from employees then the sample is split into two. The first container is tested for traces of drugs. The second is kept just in case an employee wants a second opinion.

Only a trained collector is allowed to gather samples from employees. Collectors are trained to administer the proper way of collecting samples and filling out proper documents to complete the test. They are responsible in making sure that all samples are adequate and that samples reach laboratories safely. NASA works with laboratories approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

For more information on NASA’s drug-free workplace program, follow the link below:

http://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?Internal_ID=N_PR_3792_001B_&page_name=Preface

Tags: Drug Testing, drug-free workplace, Drug-Free Workplace Program, employee testing, NASA drug-free workplace program, National Aeronautics Space Administration
Posted in Government Drug Testing | No Comments »

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy

Thursday, March 1st, 2012

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is one of the agencies under the Department of Transportation (DOT). The FMCSA follows the DOT drug and testing policy, performing substance abuse tests to fight and eliminate the harmful effects it can cause in the workplace.

Here are the basic things you need to know about the DOT-FMCSA drug and alcohol testing policy:

Who are subject to DOT drug and alcohol testing?

The DOT drug and alcohol testing policy covers all FMCSA drivers and employers who perform safety-sensitive functions under the following conditions:

Drivers and employers who handle commercial motor vehicles.
Those who are going to obtain their commercial driver’s license.
Those who operate commercial motor vehicles.
Those who lease, own, and assign drivers to operate commercial motor vehicles.

When are covered FMCSA employees and employers required for drug and alcohol testing?

According to DOT-FMCSA drug and testing rules, those who are covered by the policy are tested during random drug testing, and during the following circumstances:

Reasonable suspicion
Post-accident
Return-to-duty
Follow-up

What are the DOT drug testing rules for those under the FMCSA?

For drug testing, a DOT urinalysis procedure is needed to test for the following substances:

Amphetamines
Cocaine
Phencyclidine (PCP)
Marijuana
Opiates

Only trained collectors are allowed to gather urine samples from those who are tested. DOT requires a split specimen, and collectors are responsible for making sure that all specimens meet the DOT’s drug testing requirements. By split specimen, DOT allows those who are tested to ask for a second opinion if their specimen is tested positive the first time.

What are the DOT alcohol testing rules for those under the FMCSA?

As per DOT-FMCSA, covered employees are not allowed to drink alcohol 4 hours before performing and during the performance of safety-sensitive functions. The DOT alcohol screening is done using a saliva or alcohol breath testing device (NHTSA approved) and the prohibited alcohol breath concentration is 0.02% or greater. A test with less than 0.02% result is a “negative” test. A test that results in a 0.02% or greater, will undergo a confirmation test to ensure that all results are accurate. Only screening test technicians (STT) and breath alcohol technicians (BAT) are allowed to perform the tests.

What happens to those who are found violating the DOT-FMCSA drug and alcohol prohibitions?

As per DOT-FMCSA rules, drivers found violating the prohibitions are removed from their duties. Depending on the managements proposed consequences, those found in violation can either be fired or undergo a recovery program before they can go back to performing safety-sensitive duties. During the recovery program, DOT drug testing and alcohol screening are done to ensure that the person is free from prohibited substance.

For more information on DOT-FMCSA drug and alcohol testing policy, follow the link:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/drug/engtesting.htm

Source:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/drug/engtesting.htm

Tags: Alcohol Testing Policy, DOT alcohol screening, DOT drug testing, drug Testing Policy, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
Posted in Government Drug Testing | No Comments »

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Answers, comments, information, articles and opinions provided on all TestCountry related webpages are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, counseling, psychological, or other professional advice. You should not use the information on TestCountry for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. You should always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, rehabilitation or detoxification from any substance abuse or adopting any treatment for a health or drug problem.

Archive for the ‘Government Drug Testing’ Category

Drug and Alcohol Testing Program of the United States Coast Guard

Drug-Free Workplace Program of the National Aeronautics Space Administration

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy

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