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WDTC Helps Businesses Stay Compliant With Federal Regulations

With summer coming the number of work-related accidents increase and when there is an accident on the job, time is of the essence. It is important to make sure the employee receives any medical care he needs first, but also to conduct post-accident testing for drugs and alcohol. Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium provides convenient testing options, whether it is after an accident or if there is reasonable suspicion of drug use.

Post-Accident Testing Checklist

Whether the on-the-job accident was major or minor, businesses need to comply with these federal guidelines regarding post-accident testing:

• Test the injured employee within 32 hours for drug use.
• Test the injured employee within eight hours for alcohol use.
• Drive the employee to the drug or alcohol testing site since the business would be liable if the worker causes an accident.
• The employee should remain off the job until the test results are complete.

“WDTC has multiple locations where employees can be tested, making it easy to comply with the guidelines. If tests are not completed during the listed timeframe, they are not considered valid,” said WDTC President Mike Bray.

Reasonable Suspicion Testing

While employers must conduct post-accident testing on workers, there are other times when managers and supervisors feel a drug test is necessary based on someone’s behavior. When a supervisor has reasonable suspicion of drug or alcohol use, there are strict Department of Transportation guidelines to follow.

If a supervisor has a suspicion of drug use, it needs to be documented why the supervisor thinks the worker is impaired. Then another manager needs to observe the employee and document what is noticed. Then talk to the employee. If the employee admits to feeling impaired because of a new medication, for example, the worker can be placed on light duty for the adjustment period. If the employee denies a problem, the supervisor can then ask for the worker to submit to a drug test.

DOT supervisory training is mandatory in Wisconsin to recognize reasonable suspicion. WDTC offers an online program that supervisors can take at their own convenience. The certification lasts for three years.

Whether it is post-accident testing or due to reasonable suspicion, WDTC offers affordable, convenient drug testing options for businesses of all sizes, including DOT owner operators (O/O) consortiums.

About Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium is an Accredited Third Party Administrator (C-TPA), and specializes in Consortium Management; a variety of drug testing methods, including urine, hair and fingernails; post-accident testing; pre-employment drug tests; criminal background checks; supervisor training programs to keep employees compliant with DOT regulations; pre-employment DOT physicals; and paternity DNA testing. Headquartered in Green Bay, WDTC has offices in Appleton, Fond du Lac, Stevens Point, Madison and Escanaba, Mich. Call 920-393-4168 or visit www.widrugtesting.com for more information.