Know the Significance of DOT Tests and the Drugs Included
Substance abuse has always been menacing, and hence there has always been a dire need to control it especially when on duty in workplaces, when driving, or employed in safety-centric positions. Drugs are tested by certified agencies for various reasons such as pre-employment, suspicion, accident, changed behavior, and so on. In fact, many transport agencies and other employers partner with DOT-certified testing services providers to carry out periodic or random tests for their employees. This offers many benefits such as it allows a person to come clean and reform and certainly keeps work environments clean. It also helps avoid accidents, generate awareness among people to refrain from drugs, and so on. This post discusses the details regarding DOT, their drug testing categories, and the list of drugs which are commonly tested.
What is DOT Testing?
Before we focus on the list of drugs, here is an important factor everyone involved in this process must know. This includes employers, employees, legal advisors, lab technicians, and third party agencies among others. The DOT or department of Transportation has defined the limits for concentrations of specific drugs and alcohol found in the body fluid samples taken. The permissible alcohol content is only up to 0.02%; so, DOT tests identify alcohol traces found beyond this limit. All the companies associated with the transportation sector and otherwise can sign up for a DOT drug safety program. It is mandatory for some jobs which are safety sensitive, such as drivers, sailors, pilots, airlines crew, armed forces personnel, and so on. The regulations for these tests are mentioned on the DOT website. Their alcohol screening comprises body fluid samples of saliva, breath, or urine. The samples taken for drugs are usually of hair strands, saliva, urine, and so on. These results are confirmed using EBT devices in DOT-recognized labs.
Common Drugs Tested Under DOT
Safety is of utmost importance, whether at workplace, home, when commuting, or in any public place. But consumption of drugs and alcohol leads to mishaps. Drunken driving has always been a menace, and many car as well as truck across the US are booked for this offence. Aside from the legal repercussions of such offenses, there is a need to counsel, perform drug tests, and try and put these people on the right tract. This is exactly why DOT carries out such tests in a certain way through certified third party service providers.
