Occupational Medicine Employer Servcies
DOT Drug Test
In Napa, Sonoma and Benicia
DOT Drug Testing
Urgent Care + TeleHealth occupational medicine clinics in Napa, Sonoma, and Benicia provide employer health services including DOT drug testing which is often required for commercial drivers and other critical occupations.
Whether you need a drug test or other occupational health services, our goal is to offer quick and efficient healthcare when you need it. To that end, we offer walk-in visits without appointments, weekend hours, and onsite x-rays. We accept most workers’ compensation insurance plans. We also provide first-aid visits (non Workers’ Comp) to treat injuries whenever appropriate.
Pre-Employment, Post-Accident and Random Screening Drug Tests for Commercial Drivers Licenses
Helping Bay Area and Wine Country Employers Maintain Safety In the Workplace with Drug and Alcohol Testing
Our goal is to help employers maintain safe workplaces in our community. We aim to minimize downtime and safely return employees to work. Our healthcare providers have received the specialized training to become DOT-qualified urine sample collectors and must recertify every five years.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has specific rules for drug testing that affect jobs regulated by DOT, such as trucking and commercial vehicle driving. Urine drug screening is used by the trucking industry and many other sectors where employee safety is critical.
Making Drug Testing Easy
- Employers can fill out an online Authorization for Treatment form to request drug testing.
- We accept most health plans and most workers’ compensation health plans.
- We offer first-aid visits when applicable.
- For occupational health care, we do not take employees off work.
- Follow-up appointments are available by video visit, so there’s no need to take time off work.
- Costs are 80-90% less expensive than visiting an emergency room and without the long wait times.
- We’re open on the weekends in Napa and Benicia.
- The clinics are managed by an emergency medicine doctor who has 25 years of clinical experience.
Reasons for a DOT drug test include:
- A prospective employee is receiving a pre-employment physical exam
- Random testing
- An employer has a valid suspicion of employee intoxication
- After an accident and as part of a return-to-duty examination.
Of course, urine drug screening is utilized by more than just the trucking industry. It has been adopted by many industries where employee safety is paramount, and workplace safety hazards are amplified for those not operating at their best.
DOT-specific drug testing applies to those working in occupations such as:
- Non-DOT Commercial Drivers Licenses
- FAA flight crews
- Railroad
- Maritime
- Pipeline
- HAZMAT
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 16% of non-DOT employers require drug testing for their employees. These industries where non-DOT drug testing is requested at Urgent Care + TeleHealth include healthcare, hospitality, utilities, energy, and manufacturing.
Many companies take advantage of drug testing Incentives such as Workers’ compensation discounts and incorporate drug testing in with other workplace safety programs such as CPR training.
What is the DOT drug test?
A DOT drug test is a screening test administered to employees working in safety-sensitive positions in companies regulated and monitored by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This test is mandatory for all new employees, and it is also conducted at specific intervals during the job depending on the safety-sensitive nature of the job. This test is also repeated after an accident.
Which Drugs are Tested in the DOT drug test at Urgent Care + TeleHealth?
As the primary aim of the DOT drug test is to ensure the safety of the workers and the public by preventing substance abuse, it only includes addictive drugs. The test, also called a 5-Panel Test can detect any of the following substances used recently.
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Opioids
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
More specifically, the test looks for the presence of the following drugs:
- Marijuana (THC)
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Amphetamine
- Methamphetamine
- MDMA
- MDA
- Opioids
- Codeine
- Morphine
- 6-AM (heroin)
- Hydrocodone
- Hydromorphone
- Oxycodone
- Oxymorphone
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
How does a DOT drug test work at Urgent Care + TeleHealth?
As DOT drug testing is an informed intervention, your employer will give you detailed information about the test, its requirements, procedure, and reasons for which you are being tested.
After taking the informed written consent, you will be directed to an Urgent Care + TeleHealth clinic in Napa, Sonoma or Benicia.
Please bring a government-issued photo ID and dress comfortably. Leave any bags or water bottles in the car, as you will not be allowed to have any personal belongings with you. When you arrive, you’ll register.
When it’s your turn, you will be given a collection cup to take into the restroom to collect your sample.
If you can give a urine sample without a problem, the whole process, including registration, only takes about 15 minutes. However, sometimes people are unable to provide a urine sample. In this case if you have a “shy bladder” and cannot pee, you’ll have up to 3 hours to wait.
The urine test is a send-out, meaning it gets sent to a special lab with a specimen ID. The employer and the MRO (medical review officer) will receive a copy of the send-out paperwork. They can get results from the lab – usually through an online portal.
How sensitive is the DOT drug test?
Although the DOT test is an effective screening method for employees working in safety-sensitive positions, it can only detect recent substance abuse. For example, it can detect the use of marijuana in the last 3 days in case of one-day use and up to 30 days for chronic users. Similarly, the test’s ability to detect the use of amphetamines, cocaine, and opioids varies from 2-5 days. However, the use of phencyclidine can be detected through DOT drug tests in the last 8 days.
Which jobs require a DOT drug test?
The employees of companies working under the U.S. Department of Transportation are required to undergo this drug test. These companies/organizations include Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and U.S. Coast Guard.
Different job positions, such as aircraft controllers, aircraft dispatchers, bus drivers, airline pilots, commercial truck drivers, flight attendants, train dispatchers, train engineers, train operators, etc., require DOT drug testing before hiring a new employee.
When is a DOT Drug test required?
The US DOT drug test is required at different points in a safety-sensitive job.
- Pre-Employment Drug Test is required for all new candidates who want to apply for a job in an organization working under the U.S. Department of Transportations.
- Post-Accident Drug Test: All the employees regulated by the UST DOT are required to undergo drug testing in case when they meet any type of accident, including fatal accidents, injury accidents, and property-damage-only accidents.
- Random Drug Testing is conducted on drivers and other employees working under the US DOT. This testing program is carried out by randomly testing 2-3 employees simultaneously.
- Reasonable Suspicion Drug testing is done in cases when inappropriate behavior or signs of intoxication are noticed in an employee. The employee is informed about testing, but he’s not allowed to drive by himself to the site of testing.
- Return-to-Duty Drug testing is done in a situation where a regulated employee rejoins the firm. This testing is further by a Follow-up Drug test for a period of 12 months.
How long do I need to wait before receiving my DOT drug test results?
In DOT drug testing, a urine sample is analyzed through automated machines that detect the number of different substances in that sample quickly. Results are generally available within 48-72 hours. However, if a sample shows a higher amount of any listed substance than the given criteria, then results are likely to be delayed because the drug test is subjected to a panel discussion or confirmatory testing procedure.
What happens if you fail a DOT drug test?
If you fail or refuse a DOT drug or alcohol test, you will usually be removed from any safety-sensitive duties and must complete a return-to-duty process. The return-to-duty process requires an evaluation by a DOT-certified substance abuse professional (SAP). Please speak with your company’s human resources department for additional information.
What is the difference between DOT and non-DOT drug tests?
Regular employee drug testing is done for several reasons, including the health-related concerns of the person or legal reasons in case of suspicious criminal charges. Additionally, an employer might decide to test his or her employees for employee safety even though the test isn’t required by law.
This non-DOT drug testing is not regulated and does not have defined consequences. On the other hand, the DOT drug test is mandatory and has defined consequences if an employee fails the test. Another difference is that the DOT drug test has defined the drugs which need to be screened. In contrast, in the case of non-regulated drug testing, the number and type of drugs being screened varies according to the choice of the individual or employer.
What additional behaviors are Prohibited by DOT regulations?
The whole purpose of the DOT drug testing system is to ensure the safety of employees and those affected by those employees by ensuring that no employee is handling a job while under the influence of Alcohol or other illicit drugs.
The following behaviors are strictly prohibited by DOT regulations.
- Anyone with an alcoholic concentration of 0.04 or greater in the blood cannot perform a safety-sensitive job. Most employees cannot drink 4 hours before starting their duty. In more security-sensitive jobs, this interval is extended to 4 hours.
- As illicit and recreational drugs are likely to induce risky behavior, all employees working under DOT should not use them at any point during their job.
- An employee of any organization working under the U.S. Department of Transportation does not have the liberty to refuse a DOT drug test at any point during his job. In case of refusal to test, the candidate’s job will be terminated permanently.
References
- https://iprospectcheck.com/dot-drug-test/
- https://www.fastestlabs.com/blog/dot-testing/dot-drug-testing-101/
- https://www.concentra.com/tests-and-screenings/dot-drug-testing/
- https://disa.com/dot-transportation-compliance/dot-drug-testing
- https://www.questdiagnostics.com/business-solutions/employers/drug-screening/products-services/urine-test/dot-drug-test
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