DOT proposes changes to drug and alcohol testing regulations

The agency has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would align its regulated industry drug testing with the Department of Health and Human Services’ laboratory drug testing requirements. Proposed amendments include lowering cutoff levels for cocaine and amphetamines and conducting mandatory initial testing for heroin.

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February 9, 2010

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) designed to align its regulated industry drug testing with the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) laboratory drug testing requirements.

(The Omnibus Transportation Employees Testing Act mandates that the DOT follow HHS requirements for the drugs it tests, and for its testing procedures and protocol.)

The NPRM proposes testing for MDMA (also known as Ecstasy), lowering cutoff levels for cocaine and amphetamines, conducting mandatory initial testing for heroin and authorizing employers to use HHS-certified instrumented initial test facilities to conduct initial drug testing.

The rulemaking also proposes bringing a number of DOT testing definitions in line with those of HHS.

To read the NPRM in full and/or submit comments, click here.

The deadline to submit comments is April 5, 2010.

Topics:drug use/testing Safety

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