Substance Abuse Professional for Safety-Sensitive Employees

A DOT mandated safety-sensitive employee is anyone who holds a job that includes tasks or duties that could affect the safety and health of the employee performing the task or others. Examples include railway workers, pilots, and truck drivers, bus drivers, pipeline workers and more. These employees are required to take drug and alcohol tests at designated intervals throughout their employment. Failure to comply with the testing or failing a test means the employee is immediately removed from their duties. What is the first step getting back on the job? Meeting with a DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional to begin the return-to-duty process. Read on to learn more.

Drug and Alcohol Testing Keep Employees and the Public Safe

The Department of Transportation developed drug and alcohol testing guidelines to keep employees and the public safe. These tests discourage employees from attempting to work while intoxicated or impaired by substances. Additionally, they also protect the public from becoming the victim of an accident caused by an impaired employee. Since the rules apply to all federally regulated transportation pathways, these rules protect citizens across the USA.

Fortunately, failing or refusing a drug and/or alcohol test doesn’t mean the end of a career. Instead, the DOT established a return-to-duty process to allow employees to address their substance use and receive the necessary help. After the employee meets with a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) they recommend a course of treatment, education, and/or counseling. Complying with these recommendations and passing return-to-duty testing is the only way back to work in a safety-sensitive role. Should you find yourself wondering what to do after a failed drug or alcohol test, your top priority is to locate a DOT-qualified SAP.

Find a Substance Abuse Professional Near You

Lists of SAPs must be provided to employees by DOT regulated employers. However, credentials expire on a revolving basis making it difficult for employers to keep track of which SAPs are currently DOT-qualified. If you work with a SAP whose DOT qualification has expired, your return-to-duty process will be null and void. Repeating the process costs you more time and money.

Employees can easily start the return-to-duty process and find a SAP by working with SAP Referral Services (SRS). At SRS we continually update our list of providers in over 3,000 locations. In fact, we guarantee your SAP is fully DOT-qualified at the time of your initial contact. Our FastTrack Enrollment makes finding DOT-qualified SAPs in your area quick. Start the process today and get back to work faster!

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.