As we enter a new decade, it is time for companies to update and review their illegal substance abuse screening programs to stay compliant with federal regulations and state laws. For the Department of Transportation or DOT regulated workers, the start of 2020 means that updates in random screening rates are necessary.
About DISA
DISA or Defense Information Systems Agency, understands that maintaining compliance to help keep roads and driver safety a priority. By designing simple solutions for the worker’s compliance needs, make sure that the highways and roads will remain safe for drivers.
Defense Information Systems Agency’s consolidated DOT drug testing services help people efficiently manage their companies and maintain the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulation and compliance. Compliance solutions are a management system that makes the process a lot easier for every paid department staff.
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is increasing their random rates this year
The FMCSA announced last December 2019 that the minimum yearly percentage rate for their random drug screening would increase from 25% to 50% of the average number of positions. The change is effective January 2020 and is according to requirements in the 49 CFR 382.305. The minimum yearly percentage rate for their random alcohol screening will still be 10%.
To find out more about FEMSA, click here for more details
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulations apply to all employees that drive or operate a CMV or Commercial Motor Vehicle with a gross weight rating of at least 26,011 pounds, vehicles that can carry 16 people or more, including the driver, or vehicles that are used in the transportation of dangerous and hazardous materials that require vehicles to be placarded. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration regulated workers need to comply with the 2020 random alcohol and drug screening scale as of January 2020.
Federal Transit Administration random drug screening rates will remain the same this year
The FTA random drug screening scale remains at 50% this year. From 1997 to 2018, Federal Transit Administration rates remained at 25%. Because of the increase in positives in previous years, the Federal Transit Administration was required to raise its rate to 50%.
They have the ability to lower the pace in the future if the positivity scales stay below 1% for the next couple of years. The Federal Transit Administration will keep the scale for their random alcohol testing at 10% this year, a rate that has remained the same for many years.
As of January 2020, employees regulated by the FTA are expected to comply with the increased speed in their random drug screening. Federal Transit Administration regulations apply to all employees that perform revenue vehicle dispatches and control, armed security duties, CDL or Commercial Driver’s License, equipment maintenance and revenue vehicles, and revenue vehicle operations. Companies with workers covered by the categories mentioned above need to update their organizational practices immediately in order to comply with the FTA regulation.
Visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_driver%27s_license for more info about CDL.
United States Coast Guard rates stay the same this year
Employees covered by the United States Coast Guard saw a little increase in their random drug and alcohol testing rates. According to data from past years, positivity scales greater than 1% requires a rise in the testing rates. The USCG commandant has set the lowest testing rate at 50% for employees under their department. Workers are expected to comply at the start of the year.
Employees covered by the United States Coast Guard include workers onboard vessels acting under the authority of a registry certificate, merchant mariner’s document, or license. Not only that, any staff employed or engaged on board a United States owned vessel is considered as a regulated staff. Workers with United States Coast Guard-regulated staff are expected to comply with the latest drug and alcohol screening rates.
Federal Aviation Administration rates remain the same this year
The FAA random drug screening scales will remain at 25%. The alcohol testing rate will also stay at 10%. As the reported positive test rate remained below 1% two years running, per Federal Aviation Administration regulations, rates are allowed to remain at 25%.
Federal Aviation Administration regulations apply to all staff that performs flight crew duties, flight instructors, flight attendant tasks, aircraft dispatch jobs, preventive maintenance, or aircraft maintenance tasks, security coordinator jobs, aviation screening tasks, air traffic control tasks, and operation control specialist jobs. Departments with staff covered under the categories mentioned above need to comply with the FAA 25% drug and 10% alcohol testing rates.
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration rates remain consistent
After a rate increase in 2018, the PHMSA alcohol and drug testing rate will remain the same this year. The rate for covered staff will stay at 50%. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration regulations apply to all staff that performs operations, emergency-response tasks on pipelines or liquefied natural gas facilities, or service maintenance.
Federal Railroad Administration rates are the same this year
FRA alcohol and drug screening scales will remain the same. Covered staff will be tested at 25% and 10% for drug alcohol, respectively. MOW or Maintenance-of-Way staff became subjected to FRA screens in 2017, and have separate alcohol and drug testing charge than the Federal Railroad Administration-covered workers.
As there is little data yet available on Maintenance-of-Way workers and their industry-wide charges, random alcohol and drug screening pace will remain at a higher level this year. Maintenance-of-Way workers are to be screened at 50% for drugs and 25% for alcohol.
All staff is expected to comply with per departmental memo. The Federal Railroad Administration regulations apply to workers that perform covered service functions at a pace sufficient to be placed into the department’s screening program. Covered workers include training, locomotive engineers, switchmen, conductors, locomotive helpers and hostlers, utility employees, operators, signalmen, and train dispatchers.
Not only that, any staff that performs roadway worker and MOW functions that is a contractor or an employee of a railroad has the potential to derail a track and perform regulations like construction, inspection, repair or maintenance of bridges, railroad tracks, roadways, communication, and signal systems. Roadway, electrical traction systems, maintenance machine, or facilities on or near the tracks, flagman, and lookouts or watchmen may be a covered staff.
Margherita Ceresa an enthusiastic editor and writer at ExtraLargeAsLife.com. She has worked with many publications as a senior editor. Known for her incredible passion for everything new, she is a champion of celebrity news & lifestyle writing.