Federal Railroad Administration Drug Testing – When and How?

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is required to implement drug and alcohol testing programs for railroad employees. This is in a measure to prevent accidents and casualties in railroad operations resulting from impairment of employees by alcohol and/or drugs. Recently, the Federal Administration Drug Testing has broadened the scope of its existing drug and alcohol testing regulation to cover maintenance of way (MOW) employees and individuals who may volunteer to perform regulated service duties for a railroad. Understanding the rules and process behind the Federal Railroad Administration drug testing is important. To learn more, read below about the Federal Railroad Administration drug testing rules and a clear explanation of who is tested, when and how.

Federal Railroad Administration Drug Testing New Rules

Previously, the MOW employees were only drug and alcohol tested when an employee died as a result of an accident or incident on the job. It is now mandatory for all railroad and MOW employees to be subjected to drug and alcohol testing at different times. The test includes random testing, post-accident testing, reasonable suspicion testing, reasonable cause testing, pre-employment testing, return-to-duty testing and follow-up testing.

Upon notification to submit a drug test, a railroad and MOW employee is required to report to the collection site. “Testing for alcohol uses a breathalyzer or a saliva swab while the test for drugs will require a urine specimen.” For FRA post-accident testing, a blood sample may be obtained.

Did You Fail Federal Railroad Administration Drug Testing?

Whenever an employee fails a DOT-mandated drug or alcohol test, he/she is found to be in violation of the Federal rules, and the regulated employer is required to remove him/her from regular service. To return to regulated service an employee must complete a return to duty process with the help of a qualified and trained Drug Abuse Counselor (DAC) / Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). The FRA regulation requires the employer to provide the employee with a list of eligible DAC/SAPs.

At SAP Referral Services, we maintain a comprehensive network of DOT qualified DAC’s/SAP’s who will professionally evaluate employees that have violated DOT drug and alcohol rules. The DAC/SAP will recommend appropriate treatment, education, follow-up tests and/or aftercare. And they will determine when the safety-sensitive employee is eligible to be considered for return to duty.

If You or Your Employee Failed Federal Railroad Administration Drug Testing, Choose SRS

If you have violated the DOT-mandated drug and alcohol testing policy and are in need of a qualified DAC/SAP in your area, SAP Referral Services can schedule you an appointment with a qualified provider in your area.

Get in touch with SAP Referral Services to learn more about our FastTrack Enrollment Program (a program aimed at getting employees/applicants enrolled and scheduled with a DAC/SAP quickly).

If you failed Federal Railroad Administration Drug Testing and are looking for a DAC/SAP Provider, click here to enroll in SAP Referral Services’ FastTrack Enrollment Program.

Sources:

New FRA Rules Strengthen Protections for Maintenance of Way Workers, Expand Drug and Alcohol Testing

Drug Alcohol Employee Handbook

SAP Referral Services (SRS) is the leading facilitator for mandated substance abuse evaluations. SRS maintains an extensive network of qualified providers in more than 3,000 locations nationwide for testing violations that originate from any of the DOT’s modes including FMCSA, FAA, FRA, FTA, USCG and PHMSA, or a company’s internal drug and alcohol testing policy.