Connecting FRA Employees with a Substance Abuse Professional
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is one of the ten agencies within the US Department of Transportation responsible for intermodal transportation for the public. One of the guiding principles of the FRA is safety. FRA employees performing safety-sensitive functions are responsible for creating a safe work environment for their coworkers and the traveling public. So, why would a FRA employee need a Substance Abuse Professional?
Why FRA Employees Would Need a Substance Abuse Professional
People trust that when they take public transportation, they’re in capable hands. After several significant transportation accidents Congress passed a regulation, known as the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991. To ensure safety protocols, the FRA administers drug and alcohol testing for its safety-sensitive employees.
Drug and alcohol testing is conducted randomly on employees. This means that some employees can be chosen several times within one year, while others will not be selected at all. If an employee fails the drug and/or alcohol testing, they will immediately be removed from work. Additionally, they are required to complete a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) program before returning to work. Refusing to take the random drug and/or alcohol screening is considered the same as failing the test, and you will be required to stop working and complete a SAP program.
How a SAP Program Helps Employees Get Back to Work
A SAP program requires an individual to work with a Substance Abuse Professional. A SAP creates a customized treatment plan that will help evaluate them and get them cleared to re-enter the workplace. A SAP has the professional training to guide employees who have failed the drug and/or alcohol screening and develop an individualized plan that may include substance abuse education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
A Substance Abuse Professional isn’t an advocate for either the employee or the employer. Instead, the SAP analyzes the employee’s situation and makes a decision with the public’s best interest in mind.
SAP Referral Services (SRS): SAP FastTrack Program
When a FRA employee fails a drug and/or alcohol screening, they are immediately removed from work and cannot return until they have completed their SAP program. As a result, their livelihood is on the line. Most employees want to return to work as quickly as possible. Partnering with SAP Referral Services (SRS) FastTrack Enrollment speeds the return-to-work process. SAP Referral Services connects employees with a qualified Substance Abuse Professional. If a FRA employee works with a Substance Abuse Professional that is not DOT-qualified or has had their certifications expire, they will have to redo the entire process.
SRS is trusted nationwide. Since opening in 2003, SRS has helped over 20,000 employees in the return-to-duty process. Additionally, SRS has qualified SAPs in over 3,000 locations nationwide, allowing them to connect employees with a SAP close to them.
SRS offers a FastTrack Enrollment program allowing employees to enroll within minutes. Employees complete two quick steps online, and they’ll be connected with a Substance Abuse Professional, usually within 72 business hours. Enroll in the FastTrack Enrollment program today, click here.
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.