Truck
To ensure the safety of your employees, the public, and other road users, you must implement drug screening programs for your truck drivers.
According to https://simplexgroup.net/dot-safety-compliance/drug-screen-compliance/, when your company is DOT compliant, you reduce the risk of fines and penalties, improve safety, develop a better reputation, and gain more access to business opportunities.
Apart from this, you will also have reduced insurance costs and increased efficiency in your company. Refraining from drug or alcohol consumption is only one part of becoming DOT-compliant, the other side of this is making sure you understand the legal insights for drug and alcohol testing so every employee is treated fairly and legally. Here are some of the best practices for implementing drug screening for truck drivers and paving the path to DOT compliance:
Develop Drug Screening Policies
Among the best practices for implementing drug screening for your truck drivers is to create a drug screening policy outlining the procedures for drug testing, the consequences of receiving positive results, and what are the driver’s rights.
You should train your staff on the policy to ensure that everyone is aware of the procedures and requirements involved.
Use a Qualified Testing Facility
Your truck driver’s test results must be accurate, and therefore, you should use a qualified testing facility that is certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct the drug screening tests.
When you search for such as facility, it’s best to ensure a collaboration with one that is experienced in testing commercial drivers. You should also be aware that some testing methods are better than others.
However, you should use a consistent and efficient testing method such as the urinalysis. This way, you can ensure that the test results are accurate and consistent with prior screening results.
Randomize Testing
What you don’t want to deal with in your trucking company are accusations of being biased or discrimination allegations, which makes drug screening a complex issue. Therefore, you should ensure that drug testing is randomized and that all drivers are subjected to the testing.
You should also be aware that the FMCSA requires trucking companies to perform annual random drug tests on their drivers to ensure compliance.
Ensure Confidentiality
No one wants to have fingered pointed at them, and everyone has a right to privacy. Because of this, if you want to implement your drug screening tests efficiently, you should ensure confidentiality.
All the drug test results should be kept confidential, with only authorized personnel having access to the results.
Follow Up on Positive Results
Sometimes, drivers test positive for drugs due to several issues in their life. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean they have a substance abuse problem. It’s easy to fire someone when they make a mistake, but ultimately, we are all humans. To ensure that the driver doesn’t cause problems for your company, you must determine whether or not they have a substance abuse problem and provide them with resources for treatment.
When they return to duty, have them tested again and perform periodic follow-up tests to ensure compliance.
