DOT DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING STANDARDS
& BEST PRACTICES
Understanding Workplace Safety

A PARTNER IN SAFETY : We're more than a testing resource—we’re your partner in comprehensive workplace safety.

Workplace Safety Screenings follows DOT drug and alcohol testing standards and best practices to ensure accuracy, professionalism, and reliability when conducting an employee drug screen. Whichever drug and alcohol testing company you choose, make sure they follow the same practices consistently:

VERIFY THE TRAINING

Verify the training of the collectors administering the testing to make sure that they are following proper protocol and securing the sample with the proper chain of custody while ensuring the dignity of the employee. Collectors must know how to handle situations such as the sample being the wrong temperature, smell, or color; an attempt to adulterate the sample; or belligerency from an individual being screened.

CONSISTENTLY USE

The company must consistently use the same testing panel(s) and corresponding sample type.

LABORATORIES

Laboratories must be federally certified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for drug testing.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Service providers must always have a medical review officer determine the drug test result, as they will not only note a positive or negative result, but if the sample has been tampered with or adulterated or if the sample is diluted. Most importantly, they will conduct an interview with the employee and determine the result after full knowledge of prescriptions, etc.

SPLIT-SPECIMEN TESTING

Split-specimen testing must be done, collecting a Vial A and a Vial B. Vial A is tested, and if the result is positive, Vial B is stored at the laboratory for a rebuttal situation.

QUALITY TESTING

Quality testing companies allow for a rebuttal of a positive drug test result. If the test result of the primary specimen (Vial A) is positive, the employee may request that the split specimen (Vial B) be tested in a different laboratory to confirm the initial result. The donor generally contacts the MRO associated with the program to request that the split sample be reviewed and tested by a lab independent from the laboratory that first tested the specimen.

PROTOCOL

The company has a consistent protocol on how to handle negative-dilute samples for all results. We recommend a required second specimen collection in the case of dilute test results.

Worker

Request a customized drug-free workplace program recommendation.

REQUEST CONSULTATION