The 1991 Omnibus Transportation Employees Testing Act as well as regulations by the DOT and FAA require drug testing of safety-sensitive aviation employees. This mandatory testing requirement helps keep the public and the airspace safe. To ensure the aviation industry complies with drug and alcohol testing laws, the Drug Abatement Division of the FAA performs on-site inspections, provides guidance to companies, and establishes policies to enhance the program’s effectiveness.
Responsibility
The Department of Transportation recognizes the critical role pilots, truck drivers, subway operators, and ship captains play in safeguarding public safety. Compliance with federal drug regulations is critical for ensuring the public isn’t endangered. The FAA and DOT employ strict drug and alcohol policies to ensure performance in these important positions isn’t compromised through drug or alcohol use.
Accidents
Over time, the DOT has noticed a decline in the number of accidents and crashes linked to drug and alcohol use among safety-sensitive employees. However, government officials recognize that human risk factors still play a large role in accidents. Even though the number of drug and alcohol related crashes have declined, the DOT hopes to eliminate the entire risk of illegal drug use and alcohol misuse in the transportation industry.
Safety
The Department of Transportation values safety as its highest priority, so it works to ensure transportation employees are drug and alcohol free. The DOT requires employers to educate their transportation employees on the consequences of drug and alcohol misuse. In addition, supervisors must undergo required training to identify the signs of drug use and alcohol misuse among their employees.
Drug and Testing Program
The DOT also requires employers to implement a strong drug and alcohol-testing program. If an employee has violated the drug policy, the employer must remove him or her from safety-sensitive duties immediately. Additionally, employees cannot return to their safety-sensitive duties until they have successfully complied with treatment recommendations.
Oschmann Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing programs. In addition to Arizona drug testing, we offer DOT Compliance Services. For more information, please call (520) 745-1029 or (800) 224-8532.
