Last updated : November 18, 2024
DOT protocol is in place to do its best to ensure the safety of the public as they travel on America’s roadways intermixed with commercial vehicles. It includes regulations that safety-sensitive employers must implement both on and off the road. The Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC) recently released a series of reminders focused on engagement. It named the campaign “Back to Basics.” Service agents, including collectors, Medical Review Officers, and others involved with the DOT testing process, should take note.
The reminders emphasize the importance these positions play in the overall plan to keep the traveling public out of harm’s way when sharing the roadways with commercial vehicles. Service agents have the responsibility of protecting the integrity of the testing process. In accomplishing that, employees, in turn, receive fair treatment.
It’s not an updated and lengthy checklist for service agents to review. Instead, the reminders consist of bullet points listing the steps taken to complete their portion of the drug testing process. Repeating the same process day in, day out can get some people stuck in a rut after a period of time. If that happens, it can cause a lack of attention to detail which often leads to mistakes. Or, perhaps someone has gotten into the bad habit of cutting corners to speed up the cycle of the process. The series is meant to encourage service agents to strive to remain vigilant in all they do.
Short and sweet…
The phrase, “Doing it Right the First Time and Every Time,” is the DOT’s Back to Basics campaign slogan. It looks like the plan is to release a new post each month until the series is complete—so far, there are two.
The urine collector
The first reminder was released in May 2023. It begins by encouraging collectors to stay engaged during the entire collection process. It was no surprise to find that the importance of treating employees who come in for testing with kindness and respect made the reminder list too.
A rundown of tasks involved in the collection process follows. It begins with ensuring the collection site is secure before each test. Basically, that breaks down to there being no access to water. And, then, removing anything that a dishonest employee could use to “beat” the test from the area. Everything from greeting the test subject to finishing up the process by transmitting copies of the Custody and Control Form (CCF) to both the employer and the Medical Review Officer (MRO) follows in a short step-by-step list.
The document stresses the importance of documentation when necessary—especially during unusual or problematic collections. The reminder concludes by telling collectors that a no-show may not be a refusal. The employer makes that decision after the service agent notifies them of the situation.
The Medical Review Officer
The DOT released a reminder for MROs in June. It begins by likening MROs to gatekeepers in that they advocate for the accuracy and integrity of the entire process. The ODAPC acknowledges MROs as being the key to the DOT drug testing process being continually accepted by regulated employers and their safety-sensitive employees.
The Back to Basics reminder for MROs stresses the importance of confidentiality pertaining to all DOT drug testing information. A succinct step-by-step list of their part in the test process follows. Additionally, it was stressed that MROs need to ensure their staff members are knowledgeable of specific and limited Part 40 tasks that they have permission to perform. Lastly, with respect to treating employees and others involved in the proceedings with kindness, MROs should make themselves easily accessible to callers.
Hard to beat
When the protocol put in place for DOT drug testing is followed to the letter, all departments work together as a whole. It plays a mighty role in the success of the DOT’s mission overall. The Back to Basics series can keep employees involved with the drug testing process engaged and on point. In doing so, it increases the possibility that anyone trying to cheat on the test is found out.
Taking responsibility for keeping the public safe as they travel on the roads with commercial vehicles is a weighty responsibility. The DOT is well aware and knows it’s worth it.
