To keep our roads, rails and sky safe, DOT rule 49 CFR Part 40 requires testing certain employees to screen for drugs and alcohol. All DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees who work under the FMCSA fall under these regulations. Failure or refusal of a drug or alcohol test means you must find a Substance Abuse Professional […]
Statistics show that a fair number of truck drivers who undergo drug and alcohol tests fail. These impaired drivers can cause severe accidents by operating a heavy vehicle under the influence. To combat drunk and drugged driving, the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) published new recommendations relating to hair follicle drug testing. […]
The DOT characterizes certain jobs as having higher safety concerns than others. Those jobs are defined as being safety-sensitive and require a specific set of rules. Employees that hold these positions are known as DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees. These special employees work in areas of public transportation, as well as the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials […]
There are certain jobs considered to be DOT mandated safety-sensitive positions. These employees hold positions working for Federal Railroad Administration, U.S Coast Guard, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and Federal Transit Administration. If you are an employee that holds a DOT mandated safety-sensitive position within this […]
As an employer of DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees, you are responsible for following certain rules when it comes to keeping your workplace free of drugs and alcohol. The DOT regulations were created to help protect employees as well as the general public who share transportation pathways. When an employee violates one of these regulations, fails […]
After several catastrophic transportation accidents, the US government developed the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991. It aims to create a drug- and alcohol-free environment among DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees. With the Act in place, workers in the aviation, railroad, mass transit, trucking, and pipeline industries are regularly required to undergo testing for banned […]
Recent data from the US Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledges that alcohol is a key factor in many road accidents in the country. In 2019, officials reported 10,142 deaths that resulted from accidents involving alcohol. Due to the grim statistics associated with drunk and impaired driving, the DOT employs […]
DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees must take drug and alcohol tests throughout their careers. The regulations are enforced by the Federal Department of Transportation and ensure that the transportation industry is as safe as possible. However, sometimes employees fail or refuse to take these tests (which counts as an automatic failure). When this situation arises, employees […]
Each year California witnesses hundreds of accidents caused by impaired drivers. DOT mandated safety-sensitive employees who fall under the Department of Transportation Rule 49, CFR Part 40, popularly known as Part 40, must ensure that they never use drugs and/or alcohol on the job. So, suppose you are a safety-sensitive employee living in California and […]
Many states are now passing laws that make recreational marijuana use legal. This change has many truck drivers and those training for their CDL’s wondering if they can occasionally use marijuana. The answer is a resounding no. In fact, recreational marijuana use causes big problems for drivers, even if they are not using it while […]
