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DATIA Certified Professional Collector Program Tops 3000
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| On November 21, 2002, Ms. Magda Elena Silva was the 3100th specimen collector to be certified through the Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association’s (DATIA) specimen collector certification program. Ms. Silva is a Certified Professional CollectorTM (CPC) at Lord Medical Center in Clewiston, FL. In addition to specimen collection services, Lord Medical Center’s services include alcohol testing, DOT physicals, medical review services, and student drug testing. Read the full Press Release |
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Question & Answer: Excerpts from the DATIA Forum
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Question: Our local DOT auditor recently told us that if a company comes to us, requests TPA services, and they have never done any drug testing, the company does not need to make up missed pre-employment tests since the company is already in violation. Their goal from there on should be conducting a compliant random program. Second, he said that if the company begins testing on Dec. 1, they should test 50%/10% by Dec 31. What are the guidelines that others use for companies that join mid-year and lack pre-employment tests?
Answer: This is where there is always a problem and a difference of opinion. What I have been told from auditors is that, yes they are in non-compliance with the pre-employment program BUT they should comply with it and get those pre-employment tests accomplished. I teach in the DATIA C/TPA Program Management Seminar, that the C/TPA should ensure that the company is complying with the Pre-employment program before adding them in the random pool. As a C/TPA myself, we require that any new company that has not been in a program perform pre-employment tests on all the required employees, even if that employee has been in that company for 10 years. It is important that the company understand that if the FMCSA comes in on an audit they can be held for not complying. I agree that having that company in a compliant random program is important.
Your second question; first, has that employer been in business for the whole year? If yes, I would agree with the statement from what auditors have told me. But I have had some auditors tell me differently.
What we do is try not to get new employers in the month of December, that hasn't worked well for us. Depending on the size of the employer and when they actually join the consortium, we may include them in the consortium random pool for that year if we know that we have selected and tested the correct rate using the average number of covered employees. If they are a larger company we would have to look at the average number of employees for the year. I would also check with the local DOT Modal auditor in the area to see what the auditor would suggest.
Dean Klassy Sr. R-CPCT
Read other DATIA questions and answers.
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Mark Your Calendar
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January 31, 2003 is fast approaching! Make sure you receive your required specimen collector qualification training and perform your required proficiency demonstrations before the DOT’s deadline.
Register for a DATIA Certified Professional Collector Trainer™ (CPCT) course today. At the same time, you can register for the valuable Secrets to Successful Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Management course.
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Santas Undergo Background, Drug Tests
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