by Nicole Jupe on November 8, 2011
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) celebrated 20 years of the statutory authority to conduct drug and alcohol testing for workers entrusted with the safe operation of our nation’s transportation system. The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act, signed into law on October 28, 1991, was enacted to reduce the abuse of alcohol and illegal use of drugs by employees such as pilots, airline mechanics, railroad engineers, truck drivers, bus drivers and subway operators.
Since the law was implemented, illegal drug use among transportation workers has dropped 50 percent, while the risk of fatal accidents caused by alcohol use by truck and bus drivers has dropped 23 percent.
For more information about the DOT and drug testing laws, please visit their website.
by Nicole Jupe on November 1, 2011
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is allowing the use of the 2000 Federal Custody and Control Form (CCF) through November 30, 2011 for federal workplace drug testing specimens. Both the 2010 and 2000 versions of the Federal CCF are acceptable during this time for Federal agency employee specimens. Beginning December 1, 2011, the use of the 2000 Federal CCF must be handled as a correctable discrepancy.
In addition, the Department of Transportation (DOT) lengthened the use of the 2000 CCF until the new deadline of November 30, 2011. To review the Department of Transportation issued document, click here.
The best business practice in preparation of this deadline is to replace the old CCF with the new forms. Please don’t delay.
Use of the 2000 Federal CCF after November 30, 2011
Laboratories must use the following procedures to correct the use of the expired 2000 Federal CCF as of December 1, 2011 for Federal agency specimens: The laboratory processes the specimen using its standard operating procedures for regulated specimens, and contacts the collector for a memorandum explaining the use of the incorrect form. The laboratory retains the specimen for at least 5 business days from the date that action was initiated to correct the CCF issue, and reports the specimen results upon receipt of the collector memorandum. If the laboratory cannot obtain a memorandum from the collector, the laboratory reports a rejected for testing result and indicates the reason for rejecting the specimen on the report to the Medical Review Officer (MRO).
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) celebrated 20 years of the statutory authority to conduct drug and alcohol testing for workers entrusted with the safe operation of our nation’s transportation system. The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act, signed into law on October 28, 1991, was enacted to reduce the abuse of alcohol and illegal use of drugs by employees such as pilots, airline mechanics, railroad engineers, truck drivers, bus drivers and subway operators.