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Covered employees must test in DOT mode regardless of circumstances

One of the more common issues that Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium (WDTC) sees is how employers handle post-accident testing. It is understandable if the intricacies surrounding DOT regulations seem confusing.

There are two separate worlds when it comes to regulations: DOT and non-DOT, and at no point can your employees toggle between the two. Simply put, an employee covered by DOT regulations must complete post-accident testing in DOT mode regardless of whether or not the accident took place in a traditional on-road setting.

For example, if a covered employee transports heavy equipment to a jobsite and then proceeds to fulfill duties such as using a backhoe to move lumber during clearing operations, they remain within the DOT environment. Should an accident occur that requires first aid – regardless of how minor the injury – DOT regulations require the covered employee to complete a drug test.

What is a covered employee for post-accident testing?

The employee’s status as a covered employee is the determining factor in post-accident testing, even if the incident occurs in a non-DOT environment. The DOT has specific guidelines in determining whether employees are covered under DOT regulations and therefore must complete post-accident testing under the DOT mode.

You can view the DOT’s decision tree here, which breaks down if you or your driver holds a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and operates a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) in any state. If so, you are subject to drug & alcohol testing regulations. The post-accident testing paperwork is different for a covered employee under the DOT mode than it is for a non-covered, non-DOT employee.

Call WDTC with any questions about post-accident testing or to schedule a drug test at any of our affiliated testing sites. WDTC’s network of 17,000 collection sites across the USA provide convenient access for post-accident testing of your covered employees, coast to coast and border to border.

About Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium

Wisconsin Drug Testing Consortium is an accredited, Certified 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 also has offices in Oshkosh and Appleton, Wisconsin. Call 888-784-8842 or visit www.widrugtesting.com for more information.

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