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Procedure No. |
5202P |
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Adoption Date: |
November 21, 1995 |
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Revised: |
April 22, 2002 |
PERSONNEL FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION MANDATED DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAM
Definitions:
Accident, for purposes of this policy, is as an incident involving an employee whose job responsibilities require a commercial driver's license (CDL) in which there is:
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A. |
A fatality; |
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B. |
The employee received a citation under state or local law for a moving violation arising from the accident, if the accident involved bodily injury to any person who, as a result of the injury, immediately received medical treatment away from the scene of the accident; or |
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C. |
The employee received a citation under state or local law for a moving violation arising from the accident, if the accident involved one or more vehicles incurring disabling damage as a result of the accident requiring the motor vehicle to be transported away from the scene by a tow truck or other motor vehicle. |
Adulterated Specimen contains a substance that is not expected to be present in human urine, or contains a substance expected to be present but is at a concentration so high that is not consistent with human urine.
Alcohol means the intoxicating agent in beverage alcohol, ethyl alcohol, or other low molecular weight alcohols including methyl and isopropyl alcohol.
Alcohol Concentration (or content) means the alcohol in a volume of breath expressed in terms of grams of alcohol per 210 liters of breath as indicated by an evidential breath test (EBT).
Alcohol Use means the consumption of any beverage, mixture, or preparation, including any medication, containing alcohol.
Breath Alcohol Technician (BAT) is an individual who instructs and assists individuals in the alcohol testing process and operates an evidential breath testing device.
Canceled or Invalid Test is a drug or alcohol test that has a problem identified that cannot be or has not been corrected, or which procedures otherwise require it to be canceled. A canceled test is neither a positive nor a negative test.
Chain of Custody is the procedure used to document the handling of the urine specimen from the time the employee gives the specimen to the collector until the specimen is destroyed.
Commercial Motor Vehicle means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle 1) has a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds inclusive of a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight of 26,001 or more pounds; or 2) has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds; or 3) is designed to transport sixteen or more passengers, including the driver; or 4) is of any size used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations.
Confirmation Test for alcohol testing means a second test, following a screening test that had a result of 0.02 or greater, which provides quantitative data of alcohol concentration. For controlled substances testing, it means a second analytical procedure to identify the presence of a specific drug or metabolite; the confirmation test must be independent of the screen test and use a different technique and chemical principle from that of the screen test in order to ensure reliability and accuracy.
Controlled Substances means the same as the term "drug" and the district is required to test for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and phencylidine.
Designated Employer Representative (DER) is an employee identified by the district as authorized to receive communications and test results from service agents and who is authorized to take immediate action(s) to remove employees from safety sensitive duties and make required decisions in the testing and evaluation processes. The individual must be an employee of the district.
Dilute Specimen is a specimen with creatinine and specific gravity values that are lower than expected for human urine.
Driver means any person who is required as part of his or her job responsibilities to possess a valid CDL. This would include mechanics and supervisor. For the purpose of pre-employment testing/pre-duty testing only the term driver includes a prospective employee for a position which requires a valid CDL.
Evidential Breath Testing Device (EBT) is a device approved by the National highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the evidential testing of breath for alcohol concentration and placed on NHTSA's "Conforming Products List of Evidential Breath Testing Devices" (CPL).
Initial Drug Test is the test used to differentiate a negatie specimen from one that requires further testing for drugs or drug metabolites.
Medical Review Officer (MRO) is a licensed physician (medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy) responsible for receiving laboratory results generated by an employer's drug testing program who has knowledge of substance abuse disorders and has appropriate medical training to interpret and evaluate an individual's confirmed positive test result together with his or her medical history and any other relevant biomedical information.
Reasonable Suspicion is the belief that the driver has violated the alcohol or controlled substances prohibitions, based on specific, contemporaneous, articulable observations concerning the appearance, behavior, speech or body odors of the driver.
Refusal to Submit (to an alcohol or controlled substance test) occurs when a driver:
Safety-Sensitive Function is all time from the time a driver begins work or is required to be in readiness to work until the time he/she is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work. For school districts, the typical safety-sensitive function is operating a school bus or other commercial vehicle. Safety-sensitive functions inlcude:
Screening Test (initial test), in alcohol testing it means an analytical procedure to determine whether a driver may have prohibited concentration of alcohol in his or her system. In controlled substance testing, it means a test to eliminate "negative" urine specimens from further analysis or to identify a specimen that requires additional testing for the presence of drugs.
Split Specimen is the part of the urine specimen sent to the first laboratory and retained unopened, so that it can be sent to a second laboratory in the event an employee requests that it be tested following a verified positive test of the primary specimen or a verified adulterated or substituted test result.
Stand-Down is prohibited by federal regulations and consists of temporarily removing an employee from the performance of safety-sensitive functions based only on a report from a laboratory to the MRO of a confirmed positive test for a drug or drug metabolite, and adulterated test, or a substituted test, before the MRO has completed verification of the test results.
Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) means a licensed physician (MD or Doctor of Osteopath) or a licensed or certified psychologist, social worker, employee assistance professional, or addiction counselor (certified by the National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors Certification Commission or by the International Certification Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse) with knowledge of and clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of alcohol and controlled substances-related disorders.
Third Party Administrator (TPA)/Consortium Administrator is a service agent that provides or coordinates one or more drug/alcohol testing services to the district.
Verified Test is a drug test or validity testing result from a federally certified laboratory that has undergone review and final determination by the MRO.
Testing Circumstances, Pre-employment Testing:
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Controlled substance testing is required prior to the first time a driver performs a safety-sensitive function for the district. This includes:
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No newly hired or transferred driver shall perform safety-sensitive functions unless the employer has received a controlled substances test result from a medical review officer indicating a verified negative test result. |
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The district shall post in the employment office a statement that drug testing is a part of the district's employment process and that satisfactory completion of such a test is a condition of employment.
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Candidates and district transfers selected for positions requiring drug testing will be offered the position pending a negative drug screening. this offer may be made verbally and shall be confirmed in writing. The supervisor will inform the prospective driver of the requirement to report for testing within 24 hours and the consequences for failure to do so. |
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The MRO or designee will provide verbal communication to the DER within 48 hours of confirmed negative drug test results. THE MRO will notify the DER immediately upon verification of positive test results. The MRO or designee will provide written test results to the district within three days of verbal notification. |
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6. |
Upon receipt of a negative drug test, the prospective driver may commence safety-sensitive functions. |
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Upon receipt of a positive drug rest result, the prospective employee will be notified that he or she will no longer be considered for employment with the district. Potential transfer drivers with positive drug test results will not be permitted to transfer to a position requiring a CDL. Whether or not they continue in their present assignments with the district, are transferred to positions not requiring a CDL (with or without discipline) or are discharged will depend on the individual circumstances and the application of other policies, laws and the collective bargaining agreement, if any. The district will provide the former applicant or potential transfer with a written list of the resources available for evaluating and resolving problems associated with the use of controlled substances. |
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8. |
The district shall notify a prospective driver of the results of a pre-employment controlled substance test conducted under this policy and procedure if the driver requests such results within 60 calendar days of being notified of the disposition of the employment application. |
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These provisions will apply to employees not being transferred, but performing safety-sensitive functions for the first time in a position. |
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Test Results and Consequences: Notification from the MRO of a positive controlled substance test result will be dealt with as indicated in paragraph 7 of this section. |
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Exceptions to Pre-employment Test Requirements
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Pre-employment Investigation of Employees Intended to Perform Safety-Sensitive Duties:
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Inquiry of the Prospective Employee: The district will also ask the prospective employee whether he/she has tested positive ore refused to test, on any pre-employment drug or alcohol test administered by an employer to which the employee applied for, but did not obtain, safety-sensitive transportation work covered by the federal rules during the past two years. If the employee admits that he/she had a positive test or a refusal to test, the prospective employee must not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions for the district. |
Testing Circumstances, Random Testing: The district will participate in the ESD's testing consortium.
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Random Alcohol Testing: A minimum of percent (10%) of the drivers employed by participating districts in the consortium will be randomly selected for alcohol testing annually. (The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) may adjust the percentage required for annual random testing.) Drivers shall only be tested for alcohol while they are performing safety-sensitive functions, immediately prior to performing or immediately after performing safety-sensitive functions. (Example: a transportation supervisor may be in the random selection pool because he or she is required to be on-call to drive and to have a CDL. ) |
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Random Controlled Substance Testing: The consortium will annually administer substance abuse tests to a minimum of 50% of the drivers employed by districts participating in the consortium, randomly selected. (The FHWA may adjust the percentage required for annual random testing.) |
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Process
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Testing Circumstances, Reasonable Suspicion: The district shall require a driver to submit to an alcohol or controlled substance test when the district has reasonable suspicion to believe the driver has violated the alcohol or controlled substances prohibitions of the district's policy and procedure.
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Supervisor Training: The required observations for alcohol and/or controlled substances reasonable suspicion testing shall be made by a supervisor or district official who is trained in accordance with the following requirements:
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Only one supervisor is required to make a reasonable suspicion determination before an alcohol or drug test can be required. |
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Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol Testing Note: The mere possession of alcohol does not constitute a need for reasonable suspicion testing, which must be based on observations concerning the driver's appearance, behavior, speech or body odor. However, possessing alcohol while on duty or operating a commercial vehicle is a violation of this policy which must result in removal from performance of safety-sensitive functions and may result in discipline, up to and including discharge.
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Reasonable Suspicion Controlled Substances Testing
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Testing Circumstances, Post-Accident Testing: All employees required to possess a CDL and perform safety-sensitive functions as part of their job responsibilities will be provided with necessary post-accident information, procedures, and instructions prior to commencing job responsibilities. This would include mechanics and supervisor.
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Driver's Responsibility: As soon as practicable following an accident as defined in this procedure, the driver shall make every attempt to contact his/her supervisor or a district representative.
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District Responsibility
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Post-Accident Alcohol Testing
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Post-Accident Controlled Substance Testing: The district must test the driver for controlled substances within 32 hours following an accident. If the district cannot administer the test within 32 hours following an accident, attempts to administer the test shall cease. The district shall prepare and maintain on file a record stating the reasons the test was not promptly administered. Nothing in this procedure should be construed to require the delay of necessary medical attention for injured people following an accident, or to prohibit a driver from leaving the scene of a accident for the period necessary to obtain assistance in responding to the accident, or to obtain necessary emergency medical care. |
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The results of a breath or blood test for the use of alcohol, or a urine test for the use of controlled substances, conducted by federal, state and/or local officials having independent authority to conduct the test shall be considered to meet the requirements of this procedure, if the results are released to the district. |
Prescription Medications
No driver may possess any prescription medication or report to work while using any prescription, except when he/she is under a prescribing authority's care and the prescribing authority has advised the driver that the substance does not affect his/her ability to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The use of medication that could affect a driver's safe job performance is prohibited while working. The driver shall report to the district human resources representative (who is responsible for maintaining confidential medical files), the use of any prescribed medication and , without identifying the medication, shall provide a certificate from the driver's prescribing authority that the use of the medication will not impair his/her ability to safely perform his/her duties. If, as a result of testing under this policy, the driver is found to have the presence of controlled substances in the body which is a result of the use of his/her legally prescribed medication that has not been reported, the driver shall be removed from service without pay until it is determined that the use of medication will not impair his/her ability to safely perform assigned duties.
Alcohol Testing Procedures: The district participates in the ESD testing consortium.
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Alcohol tests will be administered by trained BATs utilizing EBT devices. The EBT shall have a quality assurance plan developed by the manufacturer. |
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Alcohol testing will be conducted in a location that affords visual and aural privacy to the individual being tested sufficient to prevent unauthorized persons from seeing or hearing test results.
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The individual being tested will be required to provide the BAT positive identification such as a photo ID card or identification by an employer representative. The employee may request the BAT to provide positive identification. |
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The BAT shall explain the testing procedure to the individual and the individual shall be required to sign the Breath Alcohol Testing Form. Failure to do so constitutes a refusal to be tested. |
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Alcohol Test Results
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Refusal to test and uncompleted tests:
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If an individual being tested attempts and fails to provide an adequate amount of breath, the district shall direct the individual to obtain, as soon as practical after the attempted provision of breath, an evaluation from a licensed physician who is acceptable to the district concerning the employee's medical ability to provide an adequate amount of breath. If the physical determines a medical condition could have precluded the employee from providing an adequate amount of breath, the employee's failure to provide an adequate amount of breath shall not be deemed a refusal to take a test. If the physician is unable to make the determination that a medical condition has, or with a high degree of probability could have, prevented the employee from providing an adequate amount of breath, the employee's conduct will be considered a refusal to take the test. the physician shall provide the district a written statement of the basis for his or her conclusion to the employer. |
Alcohol Test Results and Consequences:
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Results of alcohol concentrations of less than 0.02 will be reported to the DER as negative. The driver is then clear to perform safety-sensitive job functions. |
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If the results of the driver's alcohol test indicate a blood alcohol concentration of 0.02 or greater, or if the driver refuses to be tested:
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Drug Testing Procedures: The district participates in the ESD testing consortium.
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The district/consortium will test for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and phencyclidine using the split sample method of urine collection. Under split sample procedures, a driver, whose urine sample has been reported as positive for a controlled substance, or adulterated or substituted specimen, has the option (within 72 hours of being notified by the MRO) of having the other portion of the split sample tested at another laboratory. If the second portion of the sample confirms the original result, then the driver is subject to sanctions provided in this policy. If the second portion procedures a negative result, or for any reason the second portion is not available, the test is canceled. |
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The consortium's designated drug testing laboratory shall have a quality assurance program which encompasses all aspects of the testing process including but not limited to specimen acquisition, chain of custody security and reporting of results, initial and confirmatory testing and validation of analytical procedures. Quality assurance procedures shall be designed, implemented and reviewed to monitor the conduct of each step of the process of testing for drugs. |
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The district/consortium shall have one or more designated collection sites or independent medical facilities which have all necessary personnel, materials, equipment, facilities and supervision to provide for the collection, security, temporary storage, and shipping or transportation of urine specimens to a certified drug testing laboratory. |
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Procedures for collecting urine specimens shall allow individual privacy unless there is reason to believe that a particular individual may alter or substitute the specimen to be provided. |
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The collection site person shall take precautions to ensure that a urine specimen is not adulterated or diluted during the collection procedure and that information on the urine bottle and on the urine custody and control form can identify the individual from whom the specimen was collected. |
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When an individual arrives at the collection site, the collection site person shall ensure that the individual is positively identified as the employee selected for testing. If the individual requests, the collection site person shall show his/her identification to the employee. |
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If the individual fails to arrive at the assigned time, the collection site person shall contact the appropriate district representative to obtain guidance on the action to be taken. |
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The collection site person shall explain the collection process to the individual. The collection site person shall instruct the individual to provide at least 45 ml of urine under the split sample method of collection. |
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Drug Testing Results
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Positive Drug Test Results
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Negative Test Results: The duties of the MRO with respect to negative results are purely administrative. The MRO will report negative test results to the employer on the MRO form. |
Drug Test Results and Consequences
1. After receiving the initial report of a verified positive
drug test, the district shall immediately remove the
employee involved from performing safety-sensitive functions
and terminate the driver's employment. Removal of the
employee from performing safety-sensitive functions shall
not be delayed until the district receives the written
report or result of the split specimen test. 2. After receiving the initial report of a verified
adulterated or substituted drug test results, the district
shall consider this a refusal to test and immediately remove
the employee involved from performing safety-sensitive
functions and terminate the driver's employment. Removal of
an employee from performing safety-sensitive functions shall
not be delayed until the district received the written
report or the result of the split specimen test. 3. If the district received a test result indicating that
the employee's specimen was dilute: a. The district will treat a dilute positive test
as a verified positive test. b. A dilute negative test for current employees
requires that their next drug test be collected
under direct observation. c. A dilute negative result on a pre-employment
test requires that the prospective employee be
tested again immediately. Direct observation of
collection will not be used unless there are other
reasons to justify it.
Referral, Evaluation and Treatment: When a driver receives a positive alcohol or controlled substances test under this policy or violates the other prohibitions of this policy, the district will provide the driver with information regarding the resources available to the driver for evaluating and resolving problems associated with the misuse of alcohol and the use of controlled substances.
The district is not required to provide any of these services under this policy. Other district policies and provisions in the collective bargaining agreement, if any, may have application to the provision of services.
Test Costs and Compensation: If the district collective bargaining agreement covers testing costs and driver compensation, those provisions take precedence over this procedure.
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The district will pay for and compensate drivers for their time for the following alcohol and/or initial controlled substances tests: random, reasonable suspicion and post-accident. |
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Drivers will be responsible for taking the following alcohol and/or controlled substances tests on their own time and at their own cost: pre-employment (unless a current employee is beinginvoluntarily transferred to a position requiring a CDL, in which case the district will compensate for the employee's time and pay for the test), return-to-duty, and follow-up. |
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If a driver's initial controlled substances test is positive and the driver requests that the split sample be tested, the second test will be at the employee's expense. If the confirming test is negative, the district will reimburse the employee for the cost of the split sample test. |
Record Retention and Confidentiality
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The district, the ESD drug and alcohol testing consortium, or the contractor, shall maintain records of its alcohol misuse and controlled substances use prevention programs. |
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The records shall be maintained in a secure location with controlled access. |
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All records required in this procedure shall be made available for inspection at the district's principal place of business within two business days after a request has been made by an authorized representative of the FMCSA. |
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The records will be maintained in accordance with the following schedule:
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Types of Records
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Reporting of Results in a Management Information System
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Access to Records
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