The Added Specifications for DOT Drug Testing
The Department of Transportation (DOT) mandates that anyone working in this line of work must take a DOT drug test. However, these employees are not just given a drug test like any other. The DOT implements certain specifications that their employee’s drug tests must adhere to. Make sure that you are aware of these special requirements if your business operates in this line of work or if you are an employee that works for a company operating under the Department of Transportation. (This post is an overview of DOT regulations, and your specific area of transportation might require different specifications).
To help grasp a further understanding of the certain regulations the DOT requires for their drug tests, you must first understand what areas fall under the DOT. The U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance includes the following areas as being under this line of testing: aviation, commercial motor carriers, maritime, and any form of transit. In other terms, any employee that is designated as safety-sensitive must adhere to the DOT regulations when getting their drug test.
The DOT test is a six-panel drug test that tests for the most common forms of drugs: marijuana/THC, Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates, Phencyclidine, and Prescription Medications. Most six-panel drug tests look to identify these same types of drugs, but with a DOT specific drug test, they must adhere to a certain initial and cut-off concentrations. Another stipulation that DOT tests must comply with is during the collection process, the person collecting the samples must be specially trained. People instructed to collect DOT drug tests have been specially trained in the collection of samples and on how to take care of them. These collectors must have had extensive training and experience. This procedure is to ensure that the sample is neither altered while in their care whether intentionally or unintentionally and to ensure they are not destroyed from lack of proper care.
The sites in which these tests are run and collected must have the proper equipment, staff, materials, and people overseeing the administration/collection processes to qualify for DOT testing. These facilities must be capable of transporting the samples safely and securely from the collection sites to their labs. Not every drug testing facility contains the correct equipment or staff to administer these specific tests, and it is up to the employers under DOT to be aware of the facilities that can adhere to all these specifications.
The Department of Transportation takes drug testing their employees very seriously, as they should. The employees in this field are operating large vessels that can cause a lot of damage if not operated correctly. These extra requirements are in place so that the employees in this area are entirely in control of their actions while on duty and so that they are operating in a safe manner. Employers and employees in this field must remain educated and aware of specific DOT testing requirements.
