49
Transportation
1
2003-10-01
2003-10-01
false

Problems in Drug Tests
I

Subpart I
Transportation
Office of the Secretary of Transportation
PROCEDURES FOR TRANSPORTATION WORKPLACE DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAMS

Subpart I—Problems in Drug Tests
§ 40.191
What is a refusal to take a DOT drug test, and what are the consequences?
(a) As an employee, you have refused to take a drug test if you:
(1) Fail to appear for any test (except a pre-employment test) within a reasonable time, as determined by the employer, consistent with applicable DOT agency regulations, after being directed to do so by the employer. This includes the failure of an employee (including an owner-operator) to appear for a test when called by a C/TPA (see § 40.61(a));
(2) Fail to remain at the testing site until the testing process is complete; Provided, That an employee who leaves the testing site before the testing process commences (see § 40.63 (c)) for a pre-employment test is not deemed to have refused to test;
(3) Fail to provide a urine specimen for any drug test required by this part or DOT agency regulations; Provided, That an employee who does not provide a urine specimen because he or she has left the testing site before the testing process commences (see § 40.63 (c)) for a pre-employment test is not deemed to have refused to test;
(4) In the case of a directly observed or monitored collection in a drug test, fail to permit the observation or monitoring of your provision of a specimen (see §§ 40.67(l) and 40.69(g));
(5) Fail to provide a sufficient amount of urine when directed, and it has been determined, through a required medical evaluation, that there was no adequate medical explanation for the failure (see § 40.193(d)(2));
(6) Fail or decline to take an additional drug test the employer or collector has directed you to take (see, for instance, § 40.197(b));
(7) Fail to undergo a medical examination or evaluation, as directed by the MRO as part of the verification process, or as directed by the DER under § 40.193(d). In the case of a pre-employment drug test, the employee is deemed to have refused to test on this basis only if the pre-employment test is conducted following a contingent offer of employment; or
(8) Fail to cooperate with any part of the testing process (e.g., refuse to empty pockets when so directed by the collector, behave in a confrontational way that disrupts the collection process).
(b) As an employee, if the MRO reports that you have a verified adulterated or substituted test result, you have refused to take a drug test.
(c) As an employee, if you refuse to take a drug test, you incur the consequences specified under DOT agency regulations for a violation of those DOT agency regulations.
(d) As a collector or an MRO, when an employee refuses to participate in the part of the testing process in which you are involved, you must terminate the portion of the testing process in which you are involved, document the refusal on the CCF (including, in the case of the collector, printing the employee's name on Copy 2 of the CCF), immediately notify the DER by any means (e.g., telephone or secure fax machine) that ensures that the refusal notification is immediately received. As a referral physician (e.g., physician evaluating a “shy bladder” condition or a claim of a legitimate medical explanation in a validity testing situation), you must notify the MRO, who in turn will notify the DER.
(1) As the collector, you must note the refusal in the “Remarks” line (Step 2), and sign and date the CCF.
(2) As the MRO, you must note the refusal by checking the “refused to test because” box (Step 6) on Copy 2 of the CCF, and add the reason on the “Remarks” line. You must then sign and date the CCF.
(e) As an employee, when you refuse to take a non-DOT test or to sign a non-DOT form, you have not refused to take a DOT test. There are no consequences under DOT agency regulations for refusing to take a non-DOT test.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41953, Aug. 9, 2001; 68 FR 31626, May 28, 2003]
§ 40.193
What happens when an employee does not provide a sufficient amount of urine for a drug test?
(a) This section prescribes procedures for situations in which an employee does not provide a sufficient amount of urine to permit a drug test (i.e., 45 mL of urine).
(b) As the collector, you must do the following:
(1) Discard the insufficient specimen, except where the insufficient specimen was out of temperature range or showed evidence of adulteration or tampering (see § 40.65(b) and (c)).
(2) Urge the employee to drink up to 40 ounces of fluid, distributed reasonably through a period of up to three hours, or until the individual has provided a sufficient urine specimen, whichever occurs first. It is not a refusal to test if the employee declines to drink. Document on the Remarks line of the CCF (Step 2), and inform the employee of, the time at which the three-hour period begins and ends.
(3) If the employee refuses to make the attempt to provide a new urine specimen or leaves the collection site before the collection process is complete, you must discontinue the collection, note the fact on the “Remarks” line of the CCF (Step 2), and immediately notify the DER. This is a refusal to test.
(4) If the employee has not provided a sufficient specimen within three hours of the first unsuccessful attempt to provide the specimen, you must discontinue the collection, note the fact on the “Remarks” line of the CCF (Step 2), and immediately notify the DER.
(5) Send Copy 2 of the CCF to the MRO and Copy 4 to the DER. You must send or fax these copies to the MRO and DER within 24 hours or the next business day.
(c) As the DER, when the collector informs you that the employee has not provided a sufficient amount of urine (see paragraph (b)(4) of this section), you must, after consulting with the MRO, direct the employee to obtain, within five days, an evaluation from a licensed physician, acceptable to the MRO, who has expertise in the medical issues raised by the employee's failure to provide a sufficient specimen. (The MRO may perform this evaluation if the MRO has appropriate expertise.)
(1) As the MRO, if another physician will perform the evaluation, you must provide the other physician with the following information and instructions:
(i) That the employee was required to take a DOT drug test, but was unable to provide a sufficient amount of urine to complete the test;
(ii) The consequences of the appropriate DOT agency regulation for refusing to take the required drug test;
(iii) That the referral physician must agree to follow the requirements of paragraphs (d) through (g) of this section.
(2) [Reserved]
(d) As the referral physician conducting this evaluation, you must recommend that the MRO make one of the following determinations:
(1) A medical condition has, or with a high degree of probability could have, precluded the employee from providing a sufficient amount of urine. As the MRO, if you accept this recommendation, you must:
(i) Check “Test Cancelled” (Step 6) on the CCF; and
(ii) Sign and date the CCF.
(2) There is not an adequate basis for determining that a medical condition has, or with a high degree of probability could have, precluded the employee from providing a sufficient amount of urine. As the MRO, if you accept this recommendation, you must:
(i) Check “Refusal to test because” (Step 6) on the CCF and enter reason in the remarks line; and
(ii) Sign and date the CCF.
(e) For purposes of this paragraph, a medical condition includes an ascertainable physiological condition (e.g., a urinary system dysfunction) or a medically documented pre-existing psychological disorder, but does not include unsupported assertions of “situational anxiety” or dehydration.
(f) As the referral physician making the evaluation, after completing your evaluation, you must provide a written statement of your recommendations and the basis for them to the MRO. You must not include in this statement detailed information on the employee's medical condition beyond what is necessary to explain your conclusion.
(g) If, as the referral physician making this evaluation in the case of a pre-employment test, you determine that the employee's medical condition is a serious and permanent or long-term disability that is highly likely to prevent the employee from providing a sufficient amount of urine for a very long or indefinite period of time, you must set forth your determination and the reasons for it in your written statement to the MRO. As the MRO, upon receiving such a report, you must follow the requirements of § 40.195, where applicable.
(h) As the MRO, you must seriously consider and assess the referral physician's recommendations in making your determination about whether the employee has a medical condition that has, or with a high degree of probability could have, precluded the employee from providing a sufficient amount of urine. You must report your determination to the DER in writing as soon as you make it.
(i) As the employer, when you receive a report from the MRO indicating that a test is cancelled as provided in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, you take no further action with respect to the employee. The employee remains in the random testing pool.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41953, Aug. 9, 2001]
§ 40.195
What happens when an individual is unable to provide a sufficient amount of urine for a pre-employment follow-up or return-to-duty test because of a permanent or long-term medical condition?
(a) This section concerns a situation in which an employee has a medical condition that precludes him or her from providing a sufficient specimen for a pre-employment follow-up or return-to-duty test and the condition involves a permanent or long-term disability. As the MRO in this situation, you must do the following:
(1) You must determine if there is clinical evidence that the individual is an illicit drug user. You must make this determination by personally conducting, or causing to be conducted, a medical evaluation and through consultation with the employee's physician and/or the physician who conducted the evaluation under § 40.193(d).
(2) If you do not personally conduct the medical evaluation, you must ensure that one is conducted by a licensed physician acceptable to you.
(3) For purposes of this section, the MRO or the physician conducting the evaluation may conduct an alternative test (e.g., blood) as part of the medically appropriate procedures in determining clinical evidence of drug use.
(b) If the medical evaluation reveals no clinical evidence of drug use, as the MRO, you must report the result to the employer as a negative test with written notations regarding results of both the evaluation conducted under § 40.193(d) and any further medical examination. This report must state the basis for the determination that a permanent or long-term medical condition exists, making provision of a sufficient urine specimen impossible, and for the determination that no signs and symptoms of drug use exist.
(1) Check “Negative” (Step 6) on the CCF.
(2) Sign and date the CCF.
(c) If the medical evaluation reveals clinical evidence of drug use, as the MRO, you must report the result to the employer as a cancelled test with written notations regarding results of both the evaluation conducted under § 40.193(d) and any further medical examination. This report must state that a permanent or long-term medical condition exists, making provision of a sufficient urine specimen impossible, and state the reason for the determination that signs and symptoms of drug use exist. Because this is a cancelled test, it does not serve the purposes of a negative test (i.e., the employer is not authorized to allow the employee to begin or resume performing safety-sensitive functions, because a negative test is needed for that purpose).
(d) For purposes of this section, permanent or long-term medical conditions are those physiological, anatomic, or psychological abnormalities documented as being present prior to the attempted collection, and considered not amenable to correction or cure for an extended period of time, if ever.
(1) Examples would include destruction (any cause) of the glomerular filtration system leading to renal failure; unrepaired traumatic disruption of the urinary tract; or a severe psychiatric disorder focused on genito-urinary matters.
(2) Acute or temporary medical conditions, such as cystitis, urethritis or prostatitis, though they might interfere with collection for a limited period of time, cannot receive the same exceptional consideration as the permanent or long-term conditions discussed in paragraph (d)(1) of this section.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41953, Aug. 9, 2001]
§ 40.197
What happens when an employer receives a report of a dilute specimen?
(a) As the employer, if the MRO informs you that a positive drug test was dilute, you simply treat the test as a verified positive test. You must not direct the employee to take another test based on the fact that the specimen was dilute.
(b) As an employer, if the MRO informs you that a negative test was dilute, take the following action:
(1) If the MRO directs you to conduct a recollection under direct observation (i.e., because the creatinine concentration of the specimen was equal to or greater than 2mg/dL, but less than or equal to 5 mg/dL (see§ 40.145(a)(1)), you must do so immediately.
(2) Otherwise (i.e., if the creatinine concentration of the dilute specimen is greater than 5 mg/dL), you may, but are not required to, direct the employee to take another test immediately.
(i) Such recollections must not be collected under direct observation, unless there is another basis for use of direct observation (see § 40.67 (b) and (c)).
(ii) You must treat all employees the same for this purpose. For example, you must not retest some employees and not others. You may, however, establish different policies for different types of tests (e.g., conduct retests in pre-employment situations, but not in random test situations). You must inform your employees in advance of your decisions on these matters.
(c) The following provisions apply to all tests you direct an employee to take under paragraph (b) of this section:
(1) You must ensure that the employee is given the minimum possible advance notice that he or she must go to the collection site;
(2) You must treat the result of the test you directed the employee to take under paragraph (b) of this section—and not a prior test—as the test result of record, on which you rely for purposes of this part;
(3) If the result of the test you directed the employee to take under paragraph (b) of this section is also negative and dilute, you are not permitted to make the employee take an additional test because the result was dilute. Provided, however, that if the MRO directs you to conduct a recollection under direct observation under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, you must immediately do so.
(4) If the employee declines to take a test you directed him or her to take under paragraph (b) of this section, the employee has refused the test for purposes of this part and DOT agency regulations.
[68 FR 31626, May 28, 2003]
§ 40.199
What problems always cause a drug test to be cancelled?
(a) As the MRO, when the laboratory discovers a “fatal flaw” during its processing of incoming specimens (see § 40.83), the laboratory will report to you that the specimen has been “Rejected for Testing” (with the reason stated). You must always cancel such a test.
(b) The following are “fatal flaws”:
(1) There is no printed collector's name and no collector's signature;
(2) The specimen ID numbers on the specimen bottle and the CCF do not match;
(3) The specimen bottle seal is broken or shows evidence of tampering (and a split specimen cannot be redesignated, see § 40.83(g)); and
(4) Because of leakage or other causes, there is an insufficient amount of urine in the primary specimen bottle for analysis and the specimens cannot be redesignated (see § 40.83(g)).
(c) You must report the result as provided in § 40.161 .
§ 40.201
What problems always cause a drug test to be cancelled and may result in a requirement for another collection?
As the MRO, you must cancel a drug test when a laboratory reports that any of the following problems have occurred. You must inform the DER that the test was cancelled. You must also direct the DER to ensure that an additional collection occurs immediately, if required by the applicable procedures specified in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section.
(a) The laboratory reports an “Invalid Result.” You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.159 (recollection under direct observation may be required).
(b) The laboratory reports the result as “Rejected for Testing.” You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.161 (a recollection may be required).
(c) The laboratory's test of the primary specimen is positive and the split specimen is reported by the laboratory as “Failure to Reconfirm: Drug(s)/Drug Metabolite(s) Not Detected.” You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.187(b) (no recollection is required in this case).
(d) The laboratory's test result for the primary specimen is adulterated or substituted and the split specimen is reported by the laboratory as “Adulterant not found within criteria,” or “ specimen not consistent with substitution criteria, as applicable. You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.187(c) (no recollection is required in this case).
(e) The laboratory's test of the primary specimen is positive, adulterated, or substituted and the split specimen is unavailable for testing. You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.187(d) (recollection under direct observation is required in this case).
(f) The examining physician has determined that there is an acceptable medical explanation of the employee's failure to provide a sufficient amount of urine. You must follow applicable procedures in § 40.193(d)(1) (no recollection is required in this case).
§ 40.203
What problems cause a drug test to be cancelled unless they are corrected?
(a) As the MRO, when a laboratory discovers a “correctable flaw” during its processing of incoming specimens (see § 40.83), the laboratory will attempt to correct it. If the laboratory is unsuccessful in this attempt, it will report to you that the specimen has been “Rejected for Testing” (with the reason stated).
(b) The following is a “correctable flaw” that laboratories must attempt to correct: The collector's signature is omitted on the certification statement on the CCF.
(c) As the MRO, when you discover a “correctable flaw” during your review of the CCF, you must cancel the test unless the flaw is corrected.
(d) The following are correctable flaws that you must attempt to correct:
(1) The employee's signature is omitted from the certification statement, unless the employee's failure or refusal to sign is noted on the “Remarks” line of the CCF.
(2) The certifying scientist's signature is omitted on the laboratory copy of the CCF for a positive, adulterated, substituted, or invalid test result.
(3) The collector uses a non-Federal form or an expired Federal form for the test. This flaw may be corrected through the procedure set forth in § 40.205(b)(2), provided that the collection testing process has been conducted in accordance with the procedures of this part in an HHS-certified laboratory. During the period August 1-October 31, 2001, you are not required to cancel a test because of the use of an expired Federal form. Beginning November 1, 2001, if the problem is not corrected, you must cancel the test.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41954, Aug. 9, 2001]
§ 40.205
How are drug test problems corrected?
(a) As a collector, you have the responsibility of trying to successfully complete a collection procedure for each employee.
(1) If, during or shortly after the collection process, you become aware of any event that prevents the completion of a valid test or collection (e.g., a procedural or paperwork error), you must try to correct the problem promptly, if doing so is practicable. You may conduct another collection as part of this effort.
(2) If another collection is necessary, you must begin the new collection procedure as soon as possible, using a new CCF and a new collection kit.
(b) If, as a collector, laboratory, MRO, employer, or other person implementing these drug testing regulations, you become aware of a problem that can be corrected (see § 40.203 ), but which has not already been corrected under paragraph (a) of this section, you must take all practicable action to correct the problem so that the test is not cancelled.
(1) If the problem resulted from the omission of required information, you must, as the person responsible for providing that information, supply in writing the missing information and a statement that it is true and accurate. For example, suppose you are a collector, and you forgot to make a notation on the “Remarks” line of the CCF that the employee did not sign the certification. You would, when the problem is called to your attention, supply a signed statement that the employee failed or refused to sign the certification and that your statement is true and accurate. You must supply this information on the same business day on which you are notified of the problem, transmitting it by fax or courier.
(2) If the problem is the use of a non-Federal form or an expired Federal form, you must provide a signed statement (i.e., a memorandum for the record). It must state that the incorrect form contains all the information needed for a valid DOT drug test, and that the incorrect form was used inadvertently or as the only means of conducting a test, in circumstances beyond your control. The statement must also list the steps you have taken to prevent future use of non-Federal forms or expired Federal forms for DOT tests. For this flaw to be corrected, the test of the specimen must have occurred at a HHS-certified laboratory where it was tested consistent with the requirements of this part. You must supply this information on the same business day on which you are notified of the problem, transmitting it by fax or courier.
(3) You must maintain the written documentation of a correction with the CCF.
(4) You must mark the CCF in such a way (e.g., stamp noting correction) as to make it obvious on the face of the CCF that you corrected the flaw.
(c) If the correction does not take place, as the MRO you must cancel the test.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41954, Aug. 9, 2001]
§ 40.207
What is the effect of a cancelled drug test?
(a) A cancelled drug test is neither positive nor negative.
(1) As an employer, you must not attach to a cancelled test the consequences of a positive test or other violation of a DOT drug testing regulation (e.g., removal from a safety-sensitive position).
(2) As an employer, you must not use a cancelled test for the purposes of a negative test to authorize the employee to perform safety-sensitive functions (i.e., in the case of a pre-employment, return-to-duty, or follow-up test).
(3) However, as an employer, you must not direct a recollection for an employee because a test has been cancelled, except in the situations cited in paragraph (a)(2) of this section or other provisions of this part that require another test to be conducted (e.g., §§ 40.159(a)(5) and 40.187(b)).
(b) A cancelled test does not count toward compliance with DOT requirements (e.g., being applied toward the number of tests needed to meet the employer's minimum random testing rate).
(c) A cancelled DOT test does not provide a valid basis for an employer to conduct a non-DOT test (i.e., a test under company authority).
§ 40.208
What problem requires corrective action but does not result in the cancellation of a test?
(a) If, as a laboratory, collector, employer, or other person implementing the DOT drug testing program, you become aware that the specimen temperature on the CCF was not checked and the “Remarks” line did not contain an entry regarding the temperature being out of range, you must take corrective action, including securing a memorandum for the record explaining the problem and taking appropriate action to ensure that the problem does not recur.
(b) This error does not result in the cancellation of the test.
(c) As an employer or service agent, this error, even though not sufficient to cancel a drug test result, may subject you to enforcement action under DOT agency regulations or Subpart R of this part.
[66 FR 41954, Aug. 9, 2001]
§ 40.209
What procedural problems do not result in the cancellation of a test and do not require collection?
(a) As a collector, laboratory, MRO, employer or other person administering the drug testing process, you must document any errors in the testing process of which you become aware, even if they are not considered problems that will cause a test to be cancelled as listed in this subpart. Decisions about the ultimate impact of these errors will be determined by other administrative or legal proceedings, subject to the limitations of paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) No person concerned with the testing process may declare a test cancelled based on an error that does not have a significant adverse effect on the right of the employee to have a fair and accurate test. Matters that do not result in the cancellation of a test include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) A minor administrative mistake (e.g., the omission of the employee's middle initial, a transposition of numbers in the employee's social security number);
(2) An error that does not affect employee protections under this part (e.g., the collector's failure to add bluing agent to the toilet bowl, which adversely affects only the ability of the collector to detect tampering with the specimen by the employee);
(3) The collection of a specimen by a collector who is required to have been trained (see § 40.33), but who has not met this requirement;
(4) A delay in the collection process (see § 40.61(a));
(5) Verification of a test result by an MRO who has the basic credentials to be qualified as an MRO (see § 40.121(a) through (b)) but who has not met training and/or documentation requirements (see § 40.121(c) through (e));
(6) The failure to directly observe or monitor a collection that the rule requires or permits to be directly observed or monitored, or the unauthorized use of direct observation or monitoring for a collection;
(7) The fact that a test was conducted in a facility that does not meet the requirements of § 40.41;
(8) If the specific name of the courier on the CCF is omitted or erroneous;
(9) Personal identifying information is inadvertently contained on the CCF (e.g., the employee signs his or her name on the laboratory copy); or
(10) Claims that the employee was improperly selected for testing.
(c) As an employer or service agent, these types of errors, even though not sufficient to cancel a drug test result, may subject you to enforcement action under DOT agency regulations or action under Subpart R of this part.
[65 FR 79526, Dec. 19, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 41954, Aug. 9, 2001]