DOT Reasonable Suspicion Supervisor Training – Drugs
Transportation employees of DOT-regulated employers who perform tasks that have been defined as “safety-sensitive” are subject to drug and alcohol testing. This includes “reasonable suspicion” testing, which is required when a properly trained supervisor suspects that an employee is under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs based on the employee’s appearance, behavior, speech, or smell. Supervisors and company officials who may need to make a “reasonable suspicion” test determination are required to complete at least 1 hour of training on the signs and symptoms of DOT-prohibited drug use. This course describes the five DOT-regulated drug classes, including their signs and symptoms of use, the types of observations that can be used for reasonable suspicion drug test determinations, and what happens during a reasonable suspicion interview, specimen collection, and drug testing.
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Course Details
Learning Objectives
- Describe the five DOT-regulated drug classes, including their signs and symptoms of use.
- Decide what types of observations can be used for reasonable suspicion drug test determinations.
- Decide what types of observations cannot be used for reasonable suspicion test determinations but do warrant increased observation.
- Describe what happens during a reasonable suspicion interview, specimen collection, and drug testing.
- Describe the consequences of positive, negative, adulterated, and substituted drug test results.
Specs
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I accuse an employee of using illegal drugs and I’m wrong?
If a supervisor notices signs or symptoms of illegal drug use, does he/she need to specify the drug they suspect the employee of using?
Which drugs are prohibited by the DOT?
What if an employee has been prescribed a drug from a DOT-prohibited drug class?
What if an employee’s signs or symptoms could be caused by illegal drug use or alcohol misuse?
Sample Video Transcript
DOT drug testing regulations exist for five classes of illegal drugs:
- Marijuana, or Cannabis
- Cocaine
- Amphetamines
- Opiates, or opioids
- Phencyclidine, or PCP
These drugs have different physical and behavioral signs and symptoms, so they are discussed separately in this module. However, supervisors can make reasonable suspicion test determinations based on any sign or symptom of illegal drug use, without specifying the drug or even the drug class. So you don’t need to worry about keeping track of which signs and symptoms are associated with each drug. It is more important to be alert to changes in employee behaviors, actions, and appearances.
