2019 FAA Random Testing Rates Unchanged
The FAA announced their 2019 random testing rates will remain the same (25% for drug and 10% for alcohol). See details in the December 3rd Federal Register. http://ow.ly/V2LY30mQxg3
Author: csdesign
FTA Increases Random Drug Testing Rates for 2019
On October 17, 2018, the Federal Transit Administration announced that effective January 1, 2019, the minimum rate of random drug testing will increase from 25 percent to 50 percent of covered employees for employers subject to FTA’s drug and alcohol regulation. This change is due to an increase in the industry’s “positive rate” as reflected in random drug test data for calendar year 2017.
The alcohol testing rate is unchanged for 2019 and will remain at 10 percent.
Please see FTA’s October 17th letter announcing this change.
Preventing Drug Abuse in the Workplace
Drug abuse is a major threat to society on all levels. It affects one’s personal relationships and health, and community stability and prosperity. Substance abuse and addiction also affects employers. While drug abuse can prove detrimental to any business, it’s of particular concern for companies that hire safety-sensitive employees, such as those in the transportation industry. Here’s a look at what employers can do to prevent drug abuse in the workplace.
Establishing a Drug Abuse Prevention Policy
Every company needs to have established guidelines regarding substance abuse. These guidelines should be published within the employee handbook or a separately distributed drug & alcohol testing policy. Companies may wish to consult a drug testing company that offers workplace programs regarding the specific wording to use in their policies. It’s also a good idea to hold training events designed to make employees aware of the policy and the potential consequences of violating it.
Developing a Drug & Alcohol Testing Policy
It can be difficult to accurately ascertain whether an employee is abusing drugs or not, even though there are certainly signs and symptoms that supervisors can watch out for. Perhaps the most effective way to ensure a drug-free workplace is to establish a drug testing policy. If your company provides safety-sensitive services, such as transportation, federal and state laws will require you to drug and alcohol test employees. It’s good practice to drug test job candidates as a required condition of an offer of employment. Following this, employees can be subject to drug testing at random intervals. And if there is a workplace accident, drug and alcohol testing can determine whether substance abuse may have played a role in the incident.
AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing, and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. To inquire about our drug-free workplace programs, you can call our office at (800) 224-8532. Our knowledgeable team has extensive experience in designing custom workplace programs.
How Does Urinalysis Work?
There are several ways in which someone can be tested for the presence of substances in the body, but urinalysis is one of the most common methods of drug testing. Employers and families can both rely on urinalysis to provide quick results. Although it’s possible to visit a pharmacy to find urinalysis kits that test for drugs, these tests are notorious for producing false positives. Instead, you should rely on a professional drug testing service. Drug testing companies use sophisticated equipment that rarely produces false positives.
How Drug Testing Works
Drug testing may actually involve two tests. The first is an immunoassay test, which produces quick results and only gives results as positive or negative, rather than specific measurements. However, because immunoassay tests can sometimes give false positives, a positive test result with this test can be followed up with a more sophisticated, accurate test. Drug testing companies use gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) testing for reliable results. This test is performed by two sensitive instruments that are capable of detecting very tiny trace amounts of chemicals in the urine.
What You Can Expect from Drug Testing
It’s important to listen carefully to the instructions given by the technician. Deviating from the instructions may affect the results or the integrity of the results. You’ll be asked to leave your belongings (and empty your pockets) before going into the collection area. You’ll be given a sterile specimen cup and a moist cloth. You’ll need to cleanse the genital region with the cloth and then urinate into the specimen cup. At least 45 milliliters of urine is required for drug testing.
AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing, and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. For your convenience, we provide mobile, onsite drug and alcohol testing that limits the company’s potential liability. Call us at (800) 224-8532 to request more information about drug testing in Arizona.
Know the Common Signs of Opiate Abuse
It’s often said that opioid abuse and addiction has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. It affects people from all walks of life—teens and adults, professionals and blue collar workers alike. Opiates include any drug derived from the opium poppy plant. While all opiates are opioids, there are opioids that aren’t opiates. Some examples of opiates are heroin, morphine, and codeine.
Short-Term Indicators of Opiate Abuse
The signs of opiate abuse can be divided into short-term effects, which occur while the individual is under the influence, and long-term effects. While a person is under the influence of heroin, for example, he or she may display:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe itching
- Flushed skin
- Drowsiness
- Slow heart rate
- Cloudy thinking
Some indicators that a person is under the influence of codeine include:
- Dilated pupils
- Drowsiness
- Apathy
- Lack of judgment
- Slurred speech
- Problems with concentration and focus
- Extreme confusion
Morphine can cause similar short-term effects, such as itching, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, morphine can result in:
- Constricted pupils
- Shallow or slow breathing
- Cyanosis
- Agitation
- Confusion
- Seizures
- Chest pain
- Irregular heart rate
Long-Term Indicators of Opiate Abuse
Some of the long-term effects of opiate abuse and addiction differ from drug to drug, but there are many similarities. Among these similarities are changes in behavior, emotions, and personality, such as the following:
- Frequent absenteeism at work or school
- Poor performance at work or school
- Lying and secretive behavior
- Involvement in criminal activities
- Theft from family members and others
- Financial problems
- Mood swings
- Loss of interest in family and friends
- Presence of drug paraphernalia
Withdrawal Side Effects
When a person has become addicted to opiates, he or she will go through withdrawal effects when the drug is no longer in the body. Withdrawal effects typically include:
- Extreme cravings for the drug
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Chills
- Anxiety
- Sweating
- Muscle cramping
- Body aches
- Insomnia
AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. You can reach us at (800) 224-8532 for more details about our family and personal drug testing services, or for information about starting a drug-free workplace program.
Who Needs to Participate in FAA Drug and Alcohol Testing?
Industries that are safety-sensitive, such as the aviation industry, must adhere to rigorous standards to maintain a drug-and alcohol-free workplace. Many employers that are regulated by the FAA must have a drug and alcohol testing program. If you have questions or concerns about aviation compliance for your company, you can get in touch with a drug testing company that has experience with FAA regulations.
Who is required to test by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?
- All Part 121 and Part 135 Certificate holders, an operator as defined in §135.1(c)
- Air traffic control facilities not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. military comply with the anti-drug program regulations
- All operators as defined by 14 CFR Part 91.147
- Part 145 Repair Facilities who perform safety-sensitive functions are subject to these regulations.
Safety-Sensitive Employees
All safety-sensitive employees for companies that are required to test must be routinely drug tested. This includes employees who are part-time, full-time, temporary, and seasonal. Some examples of safety-sensitive functions include:
- Flight crewmember duties
- Flight attendant duties
- Flight instruction duties
- Aircraft dispatcher duties
- Aircraft maintenance and preventive maintenance duties
- Ground security coordinator duties
- Aviation screening duties
- Air traffic control duties
- Operations Control Specialist
Pre-Employment Tests
All job candidates for a safety-sensitive job must undergo a pre-employment drug test and receive a verified negative result before they can perform job duties. The same policy applies to individuals who transfer from a non-safety-sensitive job to a safety-sensitive job.
Random Testing
Each year, the Federal Register publishes the minimum annual percentage rate. This is the minimum number of safety-sensitive employees who must undergo random drug or alcohol testing. For example, the annual rate for any given year may be 25% for drug testing and 10% for alcohol testing. This would mean that 25% of safety-sensitive employees must undergo a random drug test, and 10% of them must undergo a random alcohol test. The FAA doesn’t specify how often random testing must be conducted. However, it’s generally expected that aviation employers will space out the testing throughout the year in an unpredictable fashion. There should be no advance notification to employees that they have been selected for random testing. As soon as notifications are made, the employees should immediately proceed to the collection site.
AZC Drug Testing Employee Screening Services is a national provider of drug and alcohol testing and employee background check services with offices in Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ. Our company has program managers who specialize in aviation compliance. Call (800) 224-8532 with your questions about our FAA drug testing services.