Number of US railroad workers testing positive for drug use skyrockets. Early this year, a railroad worker who had just been briefed on his duties for the day was discovered in a restroom, dead from an overdose of illegal prescription drugs. In the months that followed, tests conducted after three railroad accidents resulted in six employees testing positive for drugs. Testing in 2. 01. Oxy. Contin and morphine, according to internal federal documents obtained by The Washington Post. Advertisement. The number of post- accident drug- positives was the highest since the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) began keeping records in 1. Overall, the number of railway workers - including engineers, train crew and dispatchers - who tested positive for drug use in random tests soared about 4. The number rose to 2. After rail accidents in 2. With more than three months left in this year, 1. Railroads transported 5. Their workers rank among the most heavily drug- tested employees in the country, faced with drug screening before they are hired, random on- the- job testing and another round of testing every time they make a significant mistake. But after several years in which heroin and illegal opioid use has increased in the general population, there is hard evidence that the use of those and other drugs may be on the rise in the railroad industry. Advertisement. Faced with the initial positive test results, federal regulators began sounding an alarm this spring. This month, the heads of all of the nation’s freight and passenger rail lines were summoned to Washington for a closed- door session to deal with a crisis that federal officials fear has put workers and train travelers at risk. Officials from the FRA, National Transportation Safety Board and the Office of National Drug Control Policy spelled out their concerns and asked the railroads to help them address the growing problem. This week they had a similar private session with railroad unions. Feinberg said in remarks prepared for the Railroad Safety Advisory Committee on Thursday. The CDC said deaths by powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl rose by more than 8. Overall, 4. 7,0. 55 people died from drug overdoses in 2. CDC said. Despite drug testing protocols, transportation workers are as susceptible to trends as the rest of society. Department of Transportation drug- tests about 7 million people who hold commercial driver’s licenses, as well as railroad and transit workers, and the U. S. Coast Guard. In the past five years, the DOT tests have shown sharp increases in use of amphetamines and natural opiates. Among the railroad workers subject to random testing, however, the about 5. Then they shot up by 4. What’s more, the number of railroad workers found to be using drugs in the aftermath of rail accidents jumped dramatically this year. Workers who are intoxicated on the job are a danger to themselves, other workers, passengers, and anyone else who may cross paths with a train.’’Among the about 2. FRA testing found that alcohol use was five times higher than that of railway workers who performed other tasks. Railroad drug testing is limited to about 1. The train- repair workers and about 7. Alarmed by the overall increase in drug use, Feinberg in May finalized a new rule that would require . They have petitioned to delay the testing for an additional 1. The engineer, Ricky Lynn Gates, was convicted on state and federal charges and served four years in prison. In 1. 99. 3, he told the Baltimore Sun that smoking marijuana was the cause of the crash and that it was not the first time he had done it on the job. The FRA moved quickly in the aftermath of the crash to implement a drug- testing program for railroad workers. Less than four years later, Congress took the next step, requiring drug testing for . Department of Transportation. Random Drug Testing Compliant and Effective Random Drug Testing Random drug testing is a proven way to deter employee drug use. Whether you are required by DOT to have a federally compliant drug testing program, or you see the value of having a drug free. New Era Drug Testing is a comprehensive and innovative drug and alcohol management company. Our services are nationwide with over 10,000 networking collection sites, aimed at providing cost effective, efficient solutions that responds to our clients needs. New Era specializes in drug screenings that comply with DOT and FAA. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 1120 Vermont Ave.,N.W. Mail Stop 25 Washington, DC 20590 Lamar Allen Alcohol/Drug Program Manager 202-493-6313 FAX: 202-493-6216 Email: [email protected] Part 219 Alcohol/Drug. DOT drug and alcohol testing program? The FMCSA regulation is 49 CFR Part 382 The FRA regulation is 49 CFR Part 219 The FAA regulation is 14 CFR Part 120 The FTA regulation is 49 CFR Part 655 The PHMSA regulation is 49 CFR Part. SUBPART F — Drug Testing Laboratories ( 40.81 - 40.113) SUBPART G — Medical Review Officers and the Verification Process ( 40.121 - 40.169) SUBPART H — Split Specimen Tests ( 40.171 - 40.189) SUBPART I — Problems in Drug Tests ( 40. UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY Effective September 15, 2015 PB-20860 Copyright 2013. 23.0 FOLLOW-UP TESTING PROGRAM.42 24.0 25.0 RESERVATION OF RIGHTS.46. HHS Instruction 792-5 (INTERIM) Page 1 Personnel Manual HHS Transmittal: 90.4X (4/13/90) Subject: HHS Drug-Free Workplace -- Drug Testing Program 792-5-00 Purpose and Authority-10 Coverage-20 References-30 Responsibilities-40 General Provisions-50.
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