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A DOT drug test is mandatory for all transportation employees, across all modes of transport including air, water, roads, rails and pipeline industry. The DOT through the Omnibus Act of 1991 has laid out a set of rules and regulations to actively deter drug abuse as well as alcohol abuse among transportation personnel performing safety sensitive duties.
Those workers that fall under Department of Transportation regulations are given a specific type of drug test. It is often a five panel test often referred to simply as a 'DOT drug screen' and the chain of custody (COC) used must be a federal form.
But what about companies those are NOT in the transportation industry? Employees in positions that do not require drug screening under DOT regulations are given non-DOT tests if their companies have drug testing policies in place. Most companies have differing and flexible guidelines in establishing non-DOT policies and procedures for drug testing, including what substances to test for and how often testing is required. The other consideration is consistency. If the company policy states that an employee is terminated for a positive drug screen, then every employee that tests positive must be terminated.
Actually there are very few federal laws concerning drug testing by companies with non-safety-sensitive employees. However, there are some stipulations with the Labor Law that do address the issue of drug testing.
These laws state that the employer must have a written policy available to every employee that outlines
- Who is subject to drug testing?
- When drug testing will be performed (pre-employment, random, post accident, etc.).
- What are the consequences of a positive drug screen?
So how is a Non DOT drug test different from a DOT Drug Test?
The DOT has specific five types of drugs that employees have to be tested for. The DOT Drug Screen includes -
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines/methamphetamines
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
A non-DOT drug screen is almost identical to the five panel as listed above but it does not use a Federal chain of custody. The drug screen can also be a 10 panel drug screen or can even include more panels if the ordering agency requires more in-depth testing.
A Standard Ten Panel Drug Screen includes the following drugs that need to be tested for -
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines/methamphetamines
- Opiates
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
- Barbiturates (Seconal, Nembutal, Amytal and Tuinal)
- Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Librium)
- Methaqualone (Quaalude, Sopor)
- Methadone (Dolophine, Methadone Diskets, Methadose)
- Propoxyphene (Darvon, Dolene, Doxaphene, Profene 65)
DOT Drug Test Types Non DOT Drug Test DOT Drug Testing Laws DOT Urine Drug Test
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