Post-Accident Drug Testing and Your Job
If your results from post-accident drug testing indicate that you’ve failed, you may wonder what your next steps are. While safety-sensitive employees need a negative drug test for their pre-employment procedures, and have to submit to random drug testing as an employment condition, there are events during their employment that trigger post-accident drug testing.
Post-Accident Drug Testing – What Triggers One?
Under FMCSA, accidents with damage to the vehicle that requires tow away services, incidents that result in injuries that need off-site medical attention, and accidents that cause a fatality all require post-accident drug testing.
After a qualifying accident, employees must follow the procedures for drug and alcohol testing. Employees who are suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs during an accident must undergo immediate testing. If you refuse a drug test, this is treated as a failed test.
A positive result for drugs or a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) level of .04 or higher means you’ve failed your test. You’re immediately removed from activities considered safety-sensitive (like driving) until you’ve completed the return-to-duty process with a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) that’s DOT-qualified.
Next Steps, The Return-to-Duty Process
The return-to-duty process requires you to undergo a substance abuse evaluation with a SAP. After the evaluation, the SAP will suggest appropriate education and/or treatment. Once the recommended protocol is complied with, the SAP writes a follow-up report detailing your progress. You’ll also need to complete return-to-duty drug testing that reads negative for the presence of drugs and less than .02 for your BAC.
Ditch the SAP List, Call SAP Referral Services Today!
While some employers have lists of SAPs that their employees can contact to return to work, this list may not be comprehensive and may be outdated. Another option is to contact a service agent like SAP Referral Services. SAP Referral Services has a nationwide network of more than 3,000 DOT-qualified providers. Typically, SAP Referral Services connects employees who have failed a post-accident drug test to SAP providers within 72 hours. The process is easy and efficient; it strives to provide employees with the services they need to return to their positions.
Need to find an SAP provider after your post-accident drug testing? Contact SAP Referral Services today at 410-668-8110!
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.