[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 14, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 5834]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3304]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration


Control of Drug Use and Alcohol Misuse in Natural Gas, Liquefied 
Natural Gas, and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Operations Alcohol Misuse 
Prevention Program

ACTION: Notice of Management Information System (MIS) Statistical Data.

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SUMMARY: The RSPA has received and evaluated the 1994 Management 
Information System (MIS) Data Collection forms for the drug testing of 
pipeline personnel, the first year for collecting such data. The RSPA 
has determined that the random positive drug testing rate for pipeline 
industry for the period of January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1994, 
is 0.8 percent. Since two years of data are required to change the 
random rate it will remain at 50 percent for 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Catrina M. Pavlik, Office of Pipeline Safety, Compliance and State 
Programs, (DPS-23), Research and Special Programs Administration, 400 
7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-6199.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In a final rule published on December 23, 
1993 (57 FR 59720), the RSPA announced that it would require operators 
of gas, hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipelines and liquefied 
natural gas (LNG) facilities who are subject to 49 CFR parts 192, 193 
and 195 to implement, maintain, and submit an annual report for their 
drug testing program data. Any operator with 51 or more covered 
employees had to submit this information on an annual basis. Operators 
with 50 or fewer covered employees had to maintain this information, 
and RSPA randomly selected 100 operators in this category to submit 
their data. The final rule was essential for RSPA to collect the drug 
testing statistical data and use the data to analyze its current 
approach to deterring and detecting illegal drug abuse in the pipeline 
industry, and, as appropriate, plan a more efficient and effective 
approach. The data collected in 1994, which was the first year that the 
data was collected, showed that the random positive drug testing rate 
was 0.8 percent. The data will continue to be collected in the future. 
Once RSPA has received two consecutive years of MIS Data Collection 
forms where the positive random testing rate is less than 1 percent 
industry-wide, then the RSPA Administrator may reduce the random 
testing rate to 25 percent.
    Submission of MIS reports is due to the Office of Pipeline Safety, 
Research and Special Programs Administration, DPS-23, Room 2335, 400 
7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20590 not later than March 15 of each 
calendar year. Notice of statistical data will be published in the 
future to report the results of each calendar year's MIS Data 
Collection. The RSPA will also publish at that time whether or not the 
random rate will be reduced or increased for the pipeline industry.

    Issued in Washington, DC on February 9, 1996.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Office of Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 96-3304 Filed 2-13-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M