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The USIS mission is to support our clients with quality driver screening and substance
abuse testing information, products and services. We strive for excellence
as we fulfill our promises and raise the level of integrity in the
workplace.
Regulatory Updates:
From the U.S. DOT Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC)
Reminder: Employers covered by DOT regulations are required to complete all random testing by December 31, 2006.
The following four questions conclude our look at the ODAPC list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) pertaining to drug and alcohol testing programs regulated by the DOT under 49 CFR Part 40:
1. Question:
Is an employer considered to be in compliance with Part 40 if EBTs (Evidential Breath Testing devices) are not available within 30 minutes of an alcohol screening test location?
Editor’s note: This question is especially relevant to those employers that utilize non-evidential screening devices to conduct their random alcohol tests. The reasoning behind the 30 minute requirement results from the fact that the human body will naturally process and eliminate approximately 1 ounce of alcohol per hour; therefore, if the delay in testing is too lengthy, an individual who was over the limit at the time of the screening test, may test under the limit after a protracted period of time.
Answer:
An employer is not considered to be in compliance if an EBT is not available for use within 30 minutes to confirm the screening test. However, unusual circumstances may exist in which an EBT is not available within the appropriate time frame. In such a case, the employer would not be considered out of compliance with the regulation if documentation exists showing a “good faith” effort to get an EBT. (It is important to note that most operating administrations give employers up to eight hours to administer the appropriate alcohol test following a qualifying accident.)
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Did You Know?
- Alcoholism is estimated to cause 500 million lost workdays annually.
The National Association of Treatment Providers
- Up to 40 percent of industrial fatalities and 47 percent of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.
Bernstein & Mahoney, Management Perspectives on Alcoholism
- One in five workers report that they have had to work harder, redo work, cover for a co-worker, or have been put in danger or injured as a result of a fellow employee’s drinking.
Mangione, et. al., New Perspectives for Worksite Alcohol Strategies, JSI Research and Training Institute
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Alcohol and drug abuse has been estimated to cost American businesses roughly 81 billion dollars in lost productivity in just one year with 37 billion due to premature death and 44 billion due to illness. Of these combined costs, 86 percent are attributed to drinking.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Why Employers Should Be Concerned About Impaired Driving
Employers have a vested interest in preventing the devastating consequences of impaired driving for a range of reasons in addition to improving the quality of life in the community in which they operate.
Each time an employee is involved in an impaired driving crash, businesses pay in the form of increased absenteeism and use of health care benefits. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA), the Economic Burden of Traffic Crashes on Employers, the annual employer cost of motor vehicle crashes in which at least one driver was alcohol-impaired is more than $9 billion, including wage-risk premiums.
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Focus On:
The DAC News Service seeks to inform by providing information on topics of broad interest and concern to employers. Therefore, from time-to-time, we will select subjects we believe to be relevant and informative to the workplace environment. This month’s topic is condensed from a U.S. Department of Labor publication and discusses Addiction. Following is part one of a two-part article.
Addiction
Addiction is a chronic, progressive, relapsing disorder characterized by compulsive use of one or more substances that results in physical, psychological or social harm to the individual and continued use of the substance or substances despite this harm. Addiction has two possible components, physical dependence and psychological dependence.
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