How to Provide a DOT SAP List for Your Drivers

In a perfect world, everything would operate smoothly, and all would follow the rules. However, reality is far from ideal. People make mistakes and they aren’t always at their best. There are also employees who come to work drunk, hungover, or under the influence of drugs. Unfortunately, they cause accidents that slow production, damage property, or even injure people. Read on to learn more about the Department of Transportation’s regulations and how and when you need to to provide a DOT SAP list for your drivers.

What Accidents Require Drug or Alcohol Testing?

DOT regulations require drug and/or alcohol testing to maintain safety on our roads. There are numerous times when a DOT mandated safety-sensitive driver may be required to undergo testing. One of those times is after an accident. Several accident types require drivers to submit to drug and/or alcohol testing. These include, but are not limited to:

• When damage to vehicle(s) is so great they need to be towed.
• Bodily injuries needing medical treatment away from the accident scene.
• If there is a human fatality.

Additionally, the DOT requires that safety-sensitive employees undergo pre-employment testing as well as periodic random testing throughout their career. Also, regulations must be followed if a driver has refused a test or has violated the prohibitions in Subpart B of 49 CFR Part 382. The DOT prohibits the use of alcohol on-duty, the use of alcohol before going on duty and the use of alcohol for at least eight hours following an accident.

If an Employee Fails a Test, Then What?

If a DOT mandated safety-sensitive employee, including a truck driver, tests positive to a drug test or has a blood alcohol content of 0.04 or greater, they must be removed from safety-sensitive duties. They cannot be considered for reinstatement until they have successfully complied with a return-to-duty process guided by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). As their employer, you are required to provide a list of SAPs so they can start the process. Importantly, the SAP must be qualified as per the DOT guidelines for the process to be valid. But, how do you know if the SAPs on your list are qualified or not?

To help your employee find a DOT-qualified SAP in their area, partner with SAP Referral Services. We offer a nationwide network of professionals in over 3,000 locations. We can provide you and your employees with a DOT SAP list containing SAPs in areas convenient to them. At SAP Referral Services we have helped hundreds of employers and over 25,000 employees with the return-to-duty process. Contact us today!

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.