Is your company following the DOT testing procedures?

Does your drug testing company fully understand the DOT drug testing and collections procedures? If not, your employees’ drug testing results could be invalid, putting your company at risk.

“Failure simply isn’t an option,” said Jim Swart, ODAPC Director.

Every safety sensitive employee that falls under the DOT’s purview must be tested. Every FMCSA driver must be tested; the new DOT FMCSA clearinghouse begins in January 2020, and those records will be entered into the national database for every driver. So, how do you ensure that your drug testing provider is following the DOT’s drug testing policy perfectly? Know the DOT collection policy and hire a company that specializes in DOT drug collection.

DOT's 10 Steps to Collection Site Security and Integrity https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/dot-10-steps-collection-site-security-and-integrity-english

At Workplace Safety Screenings, we have seen companies suffer from mistakes in collection. We have seen these mistakes at several of our client’s workplace with their former drug testing companies.

For example, many companies have zero positives for months or years when they’re doing offsite testing only (not recommended by the DOT), then we begin a random on-site program and suddenly there are many positives at the first testing.

Another issue we’ve seen is that collectors are not aware of the three warning signs at a collection site: off temp, off color, or off smell. With the accessibility of false urine and the increasing number of cases of adulterated drug tests, your collectors must be trained and aware of the warning signs.

Now more than ever, employers need to conduct flawless drug tests with their DOT employees. In 2018, the rate of workforce drug positivity hit a 14-year high. Additionally, safety sensitive testing changed in Jan. 2018 mandated the testing of four semi-synthetic opiates, and this increased the rate of positivity as well. And, finally, even though states continue to legislate legal recreational marijuana, the federal government will continue to test for it and prohibit it in safety sensitive positions.

If you have questions about the efficacy of your program or would like an assessment of your workplace drug testing policy before the new FMCSA Clearinghouse goes into effect, we’re here to help.